THE  UPWAED  AND  ONWAED  SEEIES, 

1.  Field  and  Forest;  OR,  THE  FORTUNES  OF  A  FARMER, 

2.  Plane  and  flank  ;  OR,  THE  MISHAPS  or  A  MECHANIC. 

3.  DesJc  and  Debit ;  OR,  THE  CATASTROPHES  OF  A  CLERK. 

4.  Cringle   and    Cross-Tree;  OR,  THE   SEA  SWASHES 

OF  A  SAILOR. 

5.  ^Bivouac  and  Battle  ;  OR,  THE  STRUGGLES  OF  A  SOLDIER. 

6.  Sea  and  Shore;  OR,  THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER. 


c 

THE  UPWARD  AND  ONWARD  SERIES. 


SEA  AND  SHORE; 


OB, 


THE  TRAMPS   OF  A   TEAVELLEE. 


OLIVER    OPTIC,  -iw£ 


ATTTHOB  OP  "  TOTING  AMEEICA  ABEOAI),"  "  THE  ABMT  AND  NAVY  8TOBIE8," 

"THE  WOODVILLE  STORIES,"  "THE  BOAT  CLUB  8TOKIE8,"  "THK 

8TABBY  FLAG  SERIES,"  "  THE  LAKE  8HOBE 

SERIES,"  ETC. 


WITH  THIRTEEN  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


BOSTON: 
LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS, 

NEW  YORK: 
LEE,  SHEPARD  AND  DILLINGHAM. 

Xc 


Entered,*according"  tb  Act' of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873, 

BY  WILLIAM  T.  ADAMS, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Electrotyped  by  the  Brown  Type-Setting  Machine  Company. 
30  Hanover  Street,  Boston. 


PS-/OOC, 


TO 


CHARLES  HUDSON, 

OF  CHICAGO 


IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 


M18373S 


PREFACE. 


"SEA  AND  SHORE"  is  the  sixth  and  last  of  the  ONWABD  AND 
UPWABD  SERIES,  in  which  Phil  Farringford,  in  company  with 
his  friend,  Larry  Grimsby,  has  some  experience  as  a  traveller. 
The  story  includes  the  cruise  of  the  Blanche,  a  first-class  yacht, 
which  goes  to  the  Bermuda  Islands,  across  the  Atlantic,  up  the 
Baltic,  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  The  various 
"Tramps"  of  these  young  gentlemen  are  in  the  Bermudas,  in 
Norway,  Sweden,  on  the  Khine,  and  in  other  parts  of  Europe, 
though  the  volume  is  in  no  sense  a  book  of  travel.  The  only 
object  of  the  writer  was  to  tell  his  story,  in  which  he  has  en 
deavored  to  make  his  heroes  worthy  the  respect  of  the  reader, 
and  their  life  and  character  worthy  of  imitation. 

The  unpleasant  relations  between  Larry  Grimsby  and  his 
cousin  Miles  lead  to  a  yacht  race  from  New  York  to  the  Bermu 
das,  and  the  incidents  of  the  story  are  based  mainly  on  the  per 
sistent  hostility  of  Miles,  who  seeks  to  injure,  and  even  destroy, 

5 


6  PREFACE. 

his  cousin.  But  Larry  has  a  true  Christian  spirit,  and  in  the 
end,  when  his  bitter  enemy  is  sick,  "even  unto  death,"  and  is 
deserted  by  bis  friends  and  dependants,  seeks  him  out,  nurses 
him  with  the  tenderness  of  a  woman,  saves  his  life,  and,  what  is 
better,  redeems  and  reforms  his  character.  If  it  was  not  Phil 
who  did  this,  it  was  his  influence  which  inspired  his  friend  to 
doit. 

This  volume  closes  the  series,  and  leaves  Phil  comfortably 
settled,  and  still  persuing  his  Onward  and  Upward  career.  We 
are  sorry  to  leave  him,  for  we  always  prefer  old  friends  to  new 
acquaintances.  We  hope  the  venerable  judge  on  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific  is  not  the  only  one  who  shares  this  regret  with  us, 
and  we  indulge  our  own  vanity  in  quoting  a  few  lines  from  his 
kind  letter :  "Do  you  know,  I  like  your  Phil  Farringford  ever  so 
much,  and  shall  be  sorry  to  bid  him  good  by,  for  he  is  a  noble 
fellow  and  a  fine  character.  Therefore,  I  hope  his  successor  wiU 
not  disgrace  him,  but  will  do  full  justice  to  his  predecessor." 

HABMSON  SQUARE,  BOSTON. 

April  30,  1870. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE  Is 

PAGE 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  TALK  OVEE  THINGS   PAST, 

PEESENT,  AND  TO  COME 11 

CHAPTEE  II. 
IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  GO  ON  BOARD  OF  THE  BLANCHE.        25 

CHAPTEE  III. 
IN    WHICH   PHIL   ENGAGES   A   SECOND    MATE   FOB   THE 

BLANCHE 39 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

IN  WHICH  LABBY  VISITS  THE  WHITEWING,  AND  PHIL  GETS 

THE  BLANCHE  UNDEE  WAY 53 

CHAPTEE  V. 
IN  WHICH  PHIL  DISCOVEBS  THAT  THE  WHITEWING  GAINS  ON 

THE    BLANCHE 67 

CHAPTEE  VI. 
IN  WHICH  PHIL  SPEAKS  VEBY  CANDIDLY  TO  THE  SECOND 

MATE 80 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

Is  WHICH  PHIL  DISPOSES  OF  THE  SECOND  MATS.    ...      94 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  BOAEDS  THE  WBECK  OP  THE  WHITE- 
WING 108 

CHAPTER  IX. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  TAKES  MILES  GEIMSBY  AND  OTHERS  ON 

BOABD  THE  BLANCHE 122 

CHAPTER  X. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  BELIEVES  THE  HEBMIA,  AND  LISTENS  TO 

LABBY'S  STOBY 136 

OHAPTER  XL 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  MAKE  SOME  NEW  ACQUAINT 
ANCES  AT  ST.  GEOBGE 150 

CHAPTER  XII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LAEBY  DINE  AT  THE  GOVEBNOB'S, 

AND  A  QUABBEL  ENSUES 165 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  DECLINE  VAEIOUS  OFFEBS.     .    179 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  TAKE  ANOTHEB  TBAMP,  AND 

AN  AFFAIB  OF  HONOB  IMPENDS 194 

CHAPTER  XV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  WITNESS  THE  CAPTUBE  OF  A 

MAN-EATEB 208 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  OTHEBS  ABE  CONFOUNDED  BY  A  MYS- 
TEBY .  222 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  ABB  ASTONISHED,  AND  THEN 

ABE  ASTONISHED    AGAIN ....         236 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  OTHEBS  BOLVE  THE  MYSTEBY     .    .      250 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  SET  OUT  ON  A  LONG  TBAMP      264 

CHAPTER  XX. 

IN   WHICH  PHIL   AND    LABBY  VISIT  THE  VOBINGFOS,  IN 

NOBWAY 277 

CHAPTER  XXL 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  RESCUES  LABBY  FBOM  A  VERY  PEBILOUS 

POSITION 291 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  GO  THBOUGH  SWEDEN  IN  THE 

BLANCHE 305 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LABBY  MEET  MCFOBDINGHAM  ON  TWO 

SPECIAL  OCCASIONS 319 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LAEBY  FINISH  THEIB  TBAMPS,  AND 

SETTLE  DOWN   FOB   LlFE  333 


SEA  AND  SHORE; 

OB, 

THE  TKAMPS  OF  A   TRAVELLER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IN  WHICH    PHIL    AND    LAERY    TALK    OVER    THINGS 
PAST,    PRESENT,    AND  TO   COME. 

"TTQW  are  you,  old  fellow?"  shouted  Larry 

JLJL  Grimsby,  as  he  grasped  my  hand  and 
wrung  it  till  I  could  hardly  help  screaming  with 
pain.  "Phil  Farringford,  I'm  downright  glad  to 
see  you." 

"Thank  you,  Larry;  but  allow  me  to  remind 
you  that  my  hand  is  composed  of  flesh  and  blood." 

"Is  that  all?" 

"That's  enough." 

"I  don't  think  so;  for  I  always  claim  to  have 
some  bones  in  my  hand.  But  how  are  you,  old 
fellow?" 

"Never  better." 

11 


12  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 

"And  your  pa  and  ma9 

"Excellently  well." 

"And  that  little  Miss  Softwood?" 

"Gracewood!"  I  suggested,  indignantly. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Phil.  I  knew  you  were 
just  a  little  soft  in  that  direction ;  and  I  had  really 
forgotten  what  sort  of  wood  she  was.  Gracewood 
— I'll  remember  it  now,"  rattled  my  friend. 

"I  hope  you  will.  If  you  don't,  we  may  quar 
rel.  By  the  way,  Larry,  how  is  that  little  Miss 
Penny  more?" 

"Fennimore,  you  rascal!" 

"I  beg  your  pardon.  I  forgot  you  were  rich, 
and  did  not  need  a  penny  more." 

"Very  good,  Phil.     You'll  do." 

I  had  come  all  the  way  from  St.  Louis,  where 
my  father  and  mother  lived,  stopping  at  Chicago, 
where  my  grandfather,  uncles,  and  aunts  lived,  to 
New  York,  in  the  month  of  April,  to  join  Larry, 
with  whom  I  was  to  sail  for  Europe  as  the  captain 
of  his  yacht.  On  a  similar  journey  the  year  be 
fore,  Larry  had  saved  me  from  death  in  conse 
quence  of  a  railroad  accident,  and  I  could  not  help 
noticing  the  place  on  the  way  where  the  catas 
trophe  had  occurred.  We  had  become  fast 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  13 

friends,  because  I  was  able  to  serve  him  also. 
We  went  to  Europe  together;  and,  though  he 
started  as  a  beggar  and  an  orphan,  he  found  his 
grandfather  in  the  person  of  Sir  Philip  Grimsby, 
an  English  baronet,  of  immense  wealth;  and  Larry 
was  now  doing  his  best  to  spend  an  allowance  of 
ten  thousand  pounds  a  year,  which,  he  confessed, 
was  almost  too  much  for  his  constitution.  We 
had  served  on  a  brief  campaign  with  the  French 
army  of  Italy  during  the  ' 'battle  summer." 

On  board  the  steamer,  crossing  the  ocean,  Larry 
had  made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Blanche  Eenni- 
more,  whose  mother  was  connected  with  the  fam 
ily  of  the  baronet.  He  was  in  love  with,  and  now 
was  engaged  to  her.  She  had  spent  the  winter 
with  some  friends  in  New  York,  and  Larry  had 
taken  up  his  residence  in  the  great  city,  in  order 
to  be  near  her.  I  found  him  lodged  in  furnished 
apartments  of  the  most  luxurious  description,  in 
Fifth  Avenue.  He  had  a  large  parlor  and  a  large 
bedroom;  and  I  was  glad  to  see  that  the  former 
was  well  stocked  with  books,  which,  on  examina 
tion,  proved  to  be  works  of  history,  philosophy, 
and  science.  I  like  to  see  young  men  and  women 
read  solid  works,  and  resort  to  novels  and  stories 


14  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

only  for  amusement,  though  they  may  impart  good 
moral  lessons.  I  was  glad  to  see  the  character  of 
his  books,  because  we  had  had  some  talk  on  the 
subject,  and  he  had  promised  to  read, good  books, 
and  improve  his  mind.  He  had  written  me  that 
he  always  went  to  church  twice  on  Sunday,  rain 
or  shine;  and  from  what  else  I  knew  of  him,  I 
was  satisfied  that  he  was  trying  to  live  wisely  and 
well,  in  spite  of  the  vast  income  which  he  felt 
obliged  to  spend.  I  had  asked  him  in  a  letter 
whether  he  did  any  good  with  his  money ;  but  he 
always  evaded  a  reply,  quoting  the  Scripture  in 
junction  that  the  left  hand  should  not  know  what 
the  right  hand  did. 

I  suppose  I  was  vain,  like  other  young  men,  but 
1  could  not  help  feeling  proud  of  my  friend — 
proud  of  the  influence  I  had  exerted  over  him. 
Before  I  knew  him  he  was  dissolute  and  reckless, 
whereas  he  was  now  a  young  man  of  high  aims, 
who  indulged  in  no  vices.  He  had  stopped  drink 
ing,  gambling,  and  other  evil  ways,  and  was,  in 
every  respect,  as  proper  a  young  man  as  I  should 
wish  to  see.  Somebody  has  corrupted  the  old 
maxim,  so  that  it  runs,  "Be  virtuous,  and  you 
will  be  happy,  but  you  won't  have  half  so  good 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  15 

a  time."  Larry's  experience  seemed  to  be  other- 
xvise,  for  he  had  "a  good  time."  Well,  he  had 
everything  to  make  him  happy,  including  the  love 
of  a  beautiful  girl,  who  was  almost  an  angel;  but 
then,  those  who  are  similarly  blessed  with  all  that 
this  world  can  give,  are  oftener  the  ones  to  turn 
aside  from  the  straight  and  narrow  path  of  right 
eousness  into  the  broad  and  thorny  road  of  wick 
edness.  I  think  Larry  was  happy,  and  "had  a 
good  time,"  because  he  was  good  and  true.  But 
I  declare,  I  am  moralizing;  though  I  believe  in 
this  doctrine,  and  feel  inclined  to  "do  it  some 
more.". 

I  told  Larry  all  about  the  folks  in  St.  Louis  and 
Chicago,  and  he  told  me  all  about  those  in  New 
York,  though  I  was  interested  only  in  Blanche 
Fennimore. 

"Now,  how  is  your  grandfather,  Larry?"  I 
asked,  leaving  the  most  important  subject  for  the 
last. 

"First  rate.  He  says  he  shall  live  to  be  a 
hundred  years  old.  I  had  a  letter  from  him  yes 
terday,  in  which  he  says  Miles  has  given  him  a 
world  of  trouble  during  the  winter." 

"I  thought  he  would,"  I  added.  "I'm  afraid 
Miles  is  as  crazy  as  his  father  was." 


16  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"They  say  there  is  insane  blood  in  the  family 
on  the  mother's  side;  and  Miles  senior  had  it  bad 
before  he  died.  But  Sir  Philip  writes  me  that 
Miles  has  left." 

"Left?" 

"Gone  off  in  his  yacht;  sailed,  ten  days  before 
the  letter  was  written,  for  the  West  Indies." 

"That's  a  good  place  for  him  to  go,"  I  sug 
gested. 

"Yes;  if  he  has  gone  there,"  replied  Larry, 
with  a  significant  look  at  me. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"Phil,  the  more  I  think  of  it,  the  more  I  am  in 
clined  to  make  terms  with  that  youth,"  answered 
Larry,  more  seriously  than  he  often  spoke. 

"You  have  no  authority  or  right  to  make  terms 
with  him." 

"I  hope  the  old  gentleman  will  give  him  half 
the  estates  and  half  the  income ;  and  as  for  being 
a  baronet,  I  wouldn't  give  two  cents  for  the 
honor.  Miles  can  have  it." 

"But  Sir  Philip  says  it  is  utterly  impossible. 
You  can't  make  a  man  a  baronet  by  descent  who 
isn't  born  a  baronet.  You  are  the  man,  and  you 
can't  make  terms  with  Miles.  You  have  no  right 
to  do  so." 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  17 

"I  have  been  thinking  a  great  deal  of  this  mat 
ter,  and  it  has  worried  me.  I  stepped  in  between 
Miles  and  his  expectations ;  and  it  was  a  tremen 
dously  heavy  blow  to  him.  It  was  rough  on 
him." 

"But  it  was  not  your  fault." 

"I  know  that.  But  I  have  been  considering 
whether  I  ought  not  to  sink  into  oblivion,  either 
by  committing  suicide,  or  burying  myself  in  the 
wilds  of  Australia,  in  order  to  make  it  all  right 
for  this  unreasonable  fellow." 

"Of  course  you  ought  to  do  nothing  of  the 
kind.  It  is  not  your  duty,  in  any  sense  of  the 
word,  to  take  yourself  out  of  the  way.  What 
would  Blanche  do?" 

"That's  where  the  shoe  pinches,"  said  he,  with 
a  bright  smile. 

"Certainly  you  cannot  think  of  any  such  thing 
as  suicide,  or  taking  yourself  out  of  the  way." 

"Suicide  is  neither  comfortable  nor  pleasant, 
and  I  shall  not  do  that.  It  gives  a  man  a  bad 
reputation.  I  have  always  had  an  idea  that  I 
should  make  my  own  fortune ;  and  it  is  rather 
rough  on  a  fellow  to  have  fortune  thrust  upon 
him  in  this  absurd  way.  I  suppose  I  could  go 
2 


18  SEA   AND    SHOEE,   OR 

to  California,  Australia,  or  some  other  heathenish 
locality,  and  achieve  a  success  for  myself." 

4 '  « One  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the 
bush,'  Larry." 

"Eight!  You  are  a  philosopher  still,  and  I'm 
only  afraid  you  will  have  an  ulceration  of  the 
brain,  or  some  other  disease  in  your  upper  story, 
if  you  use  it  so  roughly,  Phil." 

"I  will  endeavor  to  be  tender  with  what  brains 
I  have,  since  it  is  all  there  is  between  us." 

He  held  out  his  hand  to  me,  and  I  took  it.  He 
shook  it  gravely,  and  solemnly  bowed  his  appro 
bation. 

"Now,  be  serious,  Philip,  and  apply  your  share 
of  the  brains  to  this  question.  I  hope  it  won't 
give  you  a  congestion  or  an  inflammation." 

"I'm  all  attention." 

"What  shall  I  do  with  Miles?" 


"Nothing." 


"What  will  he  do  with  me?" 

"Nothing,  I  hope." 

"I'm  really  worried  about  the  foolish  fellow, 
Phil.  I  used  to  laugh  at  him;  but  when  I  think 
how  much  depends  upon  his  getting  me  out  of  the 
way,  I  don't  like  the  look  to  windward.  Is  that 
perfectly -nautical  and  proper,  old  Sea  Biscuit?" 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  19 

* 'Perfectly." 

"I  don't  like  the  idea  of  having  Miles  touch  off 
an  earthquake  under  my  feet  at  any  moment, 
when  I  don't  happen  to  be  thinking  of  such  a 
thing ;  or  of  having  him  fire  off  a  volcano  over  my 
head;  for  these  things  hurt;  and,  besides,  it's  giv 
ing  him  a  heap  of  trouble  on  my  account,  and  sub 
jecting  him  to  a  heavy  expense,  for  these  Italian 
bravos  don't  work  for  nothing." 

"I  don't  think  you  are  very  much  alarmed 
about  his  machinations." 

"Machinations!"  said  Larry,  scratching  his 
head,  and  then  grasping  the  great  quarto  diction 
ary  on  the  centre-tablo. 

"From  the  Latin  machinatio,  meaning  tricks, 
artifices,  plots,  conspiracies,"  I  added,  seriously. 

"Thanks.  You  have  saved  me  the  labor  of 
looking  out  the  word.  I  trust  your  jaws  are  still 
sound  and  in  working  order,  for  you  will  dine 
with  me  to-day." 

"You  will  find  they  are,  for  I  am  half  starved 
for  some  of  your  fresh,  fat  New  York  oysters." 

"They  are  not  very  severe  on  the  jaws;  but,  if 
you  will  hold  your  jaw,  I  have  a  word  more  about 
Miles.  I  am  really  afraid  of  him." 


20  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

"Knees  smiting  each  other?" 

"Yes." 

"Each  particular  hair  on  end?" 

"Yes;  knock  my  hat  off  every  time  I  think  of 
mm.  But  don't  laugh  at  my  fears.  Wherever  I 
go,  a  quaking  skeleton  pursues  me." 

"Not  much." 

"I  should  not  dare  to  leave  New  York,  or  even 
to  stay  here,  if  I  had  not  you  to  protect  me. 
Seriously,  I  am  troubled  about  Miles." 

"I  do  not  much  wonder.  He  has  proved  that 
he  has  the  capacity  for  any  measure  of  villainy." 

"  'Any  measure  of  villainy,'  "  repeated  Larry, 
slowly.  "Could  you  tell  me  where,  in  Shake 
speare,  I  can  find  that  sentence — play,  act, 
scene?" 

"I  don't  know  that  it  is  in  Shakespeare  at  all." 

"I  was  in  hopes  it  was,  for  it  is  rather  a  telling 
phrase,  and  exactly  expresses  my  mind.  ' Capable 
of  any  measure  of  villainy.'  ' 

''That's  so." 

"Miles  intends  to  shoot,  drown,  hang,  smother, 
decapitate,  garrote,  burn,  or  destroy  me  if  he  can. 
'To  be  or  not  to  be,'  seems  to  be  the  question 
with  me.  Assassins  lurk  in  my  path — not  in 


THE   TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  21 

Shakespeare,  or  the  Comic  Almanac,  so  far  as  I 
know.  Don't  you  think  I  had  better  retire  from 
public  life,  and  shut  myself  up  in  a  monastery, 
Phil?" 

"Not  at  present." 

I  could  not  tell  whether  he  had  any  real  fears 
of  Miles  or  not. 

"Never  mind  it  now.  It's  an  unpleasant  sub 
ject,  and  we  will  drop  it.  The  yacht  is  off  the 
foot  of  Fourteenth  Street;  and  I  asked  Blanche 
and  her  friends  to  take  a  sail  in  her  this  after 
noon.  Of  course  you  will  go." 

"To  be  sure  I  will.  I  am  dying  to  see  the 
craft." 

"Don't  die  yet.  Captain  Spelter  says  she  is 
the  best  thing  in  New  York  harbor.  I  have  had 
her  put  in  first-rate  condition,  painted,  papered, 
and  varnished." 

"Papered?" 

"Well,  I'm  no  sailor.  I  had  her  fixed  up;  but 
I  haven't  the  least  idea  what  was  done  to  her.  I 
suppose  they  papered  her." 

"Perhaps  they  did." 

"I  had  her  newly  furnished,  and  her  cabin  is  a 
perfect  palace.  If  she  don't  sail  well,  with  such 
a  cabin,  it  won't  be  my  fault." 


22  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

"What  has  the  furniture  in  the  cabin  to  do  with 
her  sailing?" 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea,"  replied  Larry,  with 
a  blank  look.  "Then,  she  has  a  new  suit  of  sailst 
fitted  by  an  up-town  tailor,  I  suppose." 

"Of  course." 

"Captain  Spelter  said  they  fitted  well.  Then 
I  had  new  halyards  on  the  bowsprit,  six  new 
spanker  booms,  four  new  hatchways,  seven  new 
top-gallant  jib-stays,  eleven  new  top-bobbin  sky 
scrapers,  and  a  dozen  and  a  half  of  foreto' -bow 
lines  on  the  cro'-jack  catharpings,  besides  a  lot  of 
other  things,  whose  names  I  can't  remember." 

"Your  memory  seems  to  serve  you  remarkably 
well,  Larry." 

"I  have  a  good  memory,  when  I  don't  strain  it. 
I  paid  for  so  much  running  rigging  that  I  think 
we  ought  to  run  away  from  anything  that  floats." 

"I  hope  she  is  safe  and  weatherly." 

"O,  she  is.  Captain  Spelter  says  she  keeps  all 
the  water  outside  of  her." 

"Who  is  Captain  Spelter?"  I  asked. 

"He  was  her  skipper  last  year.  He  is  salt 
enough  to  pickle  a  hundred  barrels  of  salt  junk. 
Is  that  the  sea  slang  for  corned  beef?" 


THE   TRAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  23 

"All  right." 

"It  always  makes  me  thirsty  to  go  near  him." 

"Have  you  engaged  Captain  Spelter?"  I  in 
quired. 

"Certainly  not.  He  was  out  of  a  job:  I  em 
ployed  him  to  superintend  the  fixing  up,  painting, 
papering,  and  getting  in  the  jaw  tackle,  putting 
on  the  barnacles,  and  adjusting  the  dead-lights." 

"Just  so." 

"He  wants  to  go  in  her;  but  I  gently  intimated 
that  my  friend  and  fellow-soldier,  fellow-sailor, 
and  brother  salt,  Captain  Philip  Farringford,  was 
to  command  the  Blanche.  Then  lie  wanted  to  go 
as  prime  minister,  grand  vizier,  chancellor  of  the 
exchequer,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"As  mate,  you  mean." 

"Thnfc  wasn't  the  slang  he  used,"  replied  my 
friend,  scratching  his  head.  "It  was  chief  ex 
ecutioner,  I  think." 

"I  think  not." 

"Executive  officer  —  that's  the  slang." 

"That's  rather  a  high-sounding  title  for  a 
yacht." 

"Precisely  my  idea;  but,  then,  I  am  no  sailor." 

4 'Did  you  engage  him?" 


24  SEA  AND   SHOEE,  OR 

"Not  I,  my  hearty?  I  told  him  to  heave  to  on 
the  foreto' -bobbin.  I  was  too  old  a  salt  to  engage 
any  officer  without  the  knowledge  of  the  high  and 
mighty  chief  captain  of  the  Blanche,  my  hearty. 
You  see,  Phil,  he  thinks  you  are  a  sort  of  a  mud- 
puddle  salt,  that  don't  know  the  bob-scuttle  from 
the  top-gallant  spanker  boom;  and  I  didn't  let  on. 
I  suppose  you  want  a  chief  executioner,  or  some 
such  bummer —  don't  you?" 

"We  want  a  mate." 

"We  do,  and  we'll  have  a  mate,  or  die  in  the 
struggle  to  obtain  one.  Don't  have  Captain  Spel 
ter,  if  you  don't  want  him.  There's  sea  slang 
enough  in  him  to  fit  out  the  entire  mercantile 
marine  of  the  nation.  But  I  have  engaged  about 
a  dozen  sailors,  because  they  were  good  fellows, 
and  I  didn't  want  to  lose  them." 

"All  right." 

"If  you  don't  like  them,  you  can  knock  them 
overboard  with  the  main  royal  bobstay,  you  know. 
But  come  to  dinner." 

We  dined  on  oysters. 


THE   TRAMPS   OF  A   TRAVELLER.  25 


CHAPTER  H. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LARRY  GO  ON  BOARD  OF  THE 
BLANCHE. 

AN  epicure  in  oysters,  living  in  the  great 
west,  may  become  very  hungry  for  the 
pure,  fresh  article.  I  was.  Of  course  the  flavor 
was  twice  as  good  because  my  devoted  friend  was 
with  me,  for  the  savor  of  friendship  adds  itself  to 
the  food.  We  went  to  the  foot  of  West  Four 
teenth  Street,  where  Larry  made  a  signal  with  his 
handkerchief  to  the  Blanche,  which  lay  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  shore.  A  boat  with  four  oars 
immediately  put  off  from  her,  and  pulled,  man-of- 
war  stroke,  to  the  pier.  In  the  stern-sheets,  hold 
ing  the  tiller  lines,  was  an  elderly  man  in  blue 
uniform. 

4 'Way  enough,"  said  he,  as  the  boat  approached 
the  pier. 


26  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

The  bowman  promptly  boated  his  oar  with  the 
others,  and  sprang  forward  with  his  boat-hook.  I 
saw  that  the  crew  were  well-trained,  and  those  be 
fore  me  looked  like  first-class  men. 

"Captain  Spelter,  Captain  Farringford ;  Captain 
Farringford,  Captain  Spelter,"  said  Larry,  as  the 
skipper  leaped  upon  the  pier. 

"Ah,  this  young  man,"  replied  Captain  Spelter, 
as  he  took  my  offered  hand.  "I'm  glad  to  see 
you,  Captain  Farringford." 

"Happy  to  know  you,  Captain  Spelter,"  I  an 
swered. 

There  was  a  broad  grin  on  his  face,  and  I  saw 
that  he  was  measuring  me  from  head  to  foot.  He 
evidently  considered  me  utterly  incompetent,  from 
the  lack  of  years,  to  fill  the  position  to  which  I 
had  been  appointed. 

"Heave  ahead,  my  hearty,"  said  Larry,  as  he 
jumped  into  the  boat.  "Is  the  f or eto' -bobbin  all 
right,  Captain  Spelter?" 

"All  right,  sir,"  replied  the  skipper,  with  a 
broad  grin,  for  he  appeared  fully  to  appreciate  the 
humor  of  his  employer. 

"Have  you  boused  the  bobstay,  and  topped  up 
the  binnacle?" 


THE    TKAMPS    OF   A    TKAVELLER.  27 

"Yes,  sir;  all  done  in  man-of-war  style,"  an 
swered  the  skipper,  with  a  sly  wink  at  me. 

"Come,  Phil,  tumble  down  the  hatchway  into 
the  boat.  Our  party  will  be  down  here  at  three 
o'clock,  and  we  must  have  all  the  booms  and  bob- 
stays  overhauled  before  that  time." 

I  seated  myself  opposite  him  on  the  crimson 
plush  cushions  in  the  stern-sheets  while  Captain 
Spelter  took  his  place  on  the  aftermost  seat,  at  the 
tiller  ropes. 

"Up  oars!"  said  he.  "Shove  off!  Let  fall! 
Give  way  together !  "  and  the  men  pulled  steadily, 
feathering  their  oars  very  handsomely  at  every 
stroke. 

'  'I  say,  Phil,  how's  this  for  high  ?  Is  the  foreto'- 
bobbin  all  right?" 

"I  should  judge  that  it  was.  You  have  your 
crew  well  in  hand." 

"Ay,  -ay,  sir,"  replied  Larry,  gravely.  "We 
have  laid  ourselves  out  on  this  business;  and  we 
have  the  foreto' -bobbin  so  that  it  works  first  rate. 
There  is  our  craft ; ' '  and  he  pointed  to  the 
Blanche.  "Isn't  she  a  thing  of  beauty  that  is  a 
joy  forever?" 

"I  think  she  is.     She  looks  like  a  fine  craft." 


28  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"She  is  a  beauty,  Captain  Farringford,"  added 
the  skipper. 

Certainly  nothing  could  have  been  more  elegant 
or  graceful  than  the  yacht,  as  she  sat  like  a  swan 
upon  the  water.  She  had  been  newly  painted,  and 
looked  fresh  and  clean.  Much  of  her  rigging  was 
new,  and  everything  was  hauled  taut,  so  that  she 
was  a  model  of  neatness ;  and  I  had  a  very  favora- 
able  opinion  of  Captain  Spelter's  ability;  much 
more  so,  evidently,  than  he  had  of  mine.  She  had 
accommodation  steps  at  her  side,  so  that  we  went 
on  deck  with  as  little  trouble  as  we  could  have  en 
tered  a  house  on  Fifth  Avenue. 

"Once  more  on  the  deck  I  stand  of  my  own 
swift-gliding  craft,"  said  Larry;  "only  I  never 
happened  to  glide  any  in  her  yet.  Captain  Spelter 
has  been  on  a  short  cruise  in  her,  to  see  that  the 
fore  to '-bobbin  was  all  right." 

I  examined  everything  on  deck  and  aloft  with  a 
critical  eye,  and  was  entirely  satisfied  with  her  ap 
pearance.  Every  thing  was  in  its  place,  and  every 
rope  handsomely  coiled  away.  The  rest  of  the 
sailors  were  on  deck,  and  eyed  us  with  respectful 
curiosity. 

"What  do  you  think  of  her,  Phil  ?"  asked  Larry. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  29 

"I  think  she  is  magnificent;  and  a  fellow  that 
couldn't  be  happy  in  a  craft  like  this  ought  to  be 
shut  up  in  a  monastery." 

"Just  so;  and  be  compelled  to  live  on  roast 
beef,  roast  turkey,  and  plum  pudding,  and  omelet 
souffle.  She  is  a  regular  marine  sylph.  Do  you 
see  that  dolphin-striker,  Phil?"  demanded  he, 
pointing  at  the  main  boom. 

"I  don't  see  it." 

"Nor  I  either.  Come  below;"  and  he  led  the 
way  into  the  cabin. 

This  apartment  was  high  and  roomy  for  a  yacht. 
There  were  two  berths  on  each  side,  with  elegant 
draperies  in  front  of  them,  which  could  be  drawn 
out  so  as  to  form  a  little  enclosed  space  in  front 
of  each  berth,  answering  to  the  purposes  of  a  state 
room.  The  floor  was  carpeted  with  tapestry  vel 
vet,  and  the  captain  said  there  was  a  cloth  to 
cover  it  at  sea.  In  the  centre  was  a  table,  which 
could  be  extended  so  as  to  seat  ten  persons. 
Over  it  was  a  large  skylight,  which  admitted  light 
enough  to  give  the  cabin  a  very  cheerful  aspect. 
All  around  it  was  a  divan,  or  sofa,  covered  with 
green  velvet,  which  was  the  prevailing  color  of  all 
the  furniture  and  draperies.  Various  ornaments 


30  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OK 

were  put  up  in  available  spaces,  and  vases,  filled 
with  green-house  flowers,  were  arranged  about 
them  for  the  present  occasion.  In  the  middle  of 
the  bulkhead  was  a  passage  leading  forward.  On 
the  left  of  it  was  the  owner's  state-room,  an  ele 
gant  little  room,  furnished  in  bright  blue,  with  a 
berth  wide  enough  for  two.  It  was  provided  with 
every  convenience  known  in  a  modern  yacht,  with 
all  those  ingenious  little  contrivances  for  saving 
space,  which  the  limits  of  such  a  vessel  demand. 
Forward  of  this  was  another  state-room,  whose 
door  opened  into  the  passage-way.  It  was  not  less 
elegant  than  the  owner's,  but  the  berth  was  not  so 
wide,  and  thus  space  was  obtained  for  a  desk  and 
case  of  drawers.  Like  the  other,  it  was  well 
lighted  from  the  deck,  and  was  supplied  with  pat 
ent  ventilators.  This  room  was  intended  for  the 
owner's  favored  guest;  but  Larry  told  me  it  was 
to  be  mine  for  our  next  cruise. 

The  first  room  on  the  starboard  side,  next  to 
the  cabin,  was  the  pantry,  which  contained  mar 
vels  of  ingenuity  for  the  disposition  of  the  table 
ware,  and  for  preparing  the  delicacies  for  the 
meals.  Forward  of  this  was  the  cook-room,  an 
apartment  twelve  feet  long  by  eight  in  width,  with 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  31 

a  stove,  and  every  other  convenience.  At  the 
forward  end  of  it  was  a  door,  opening  into  the 
larder,  which  was  really  an  ice-house.  From  this 
room  we  passed  into  a  short  passage  leading  for 
ward.  On  the  opposite  side  was  a  third  state-room, 
containing  two  berths,  which  was  intended  for  the 
skipper  of  the  yacht.  In  the  forecastle  the  berths 
were  rather  crowded,  for  some  of  them  were  three 
in  a  tier ;  but  there  was  abundant  space  for  twenty 
men,  as  they  were  accommodated  on  shipboard. 
Everything  was  as  well  as  it  could  be  in  the  lim 
ited  space. 

"Now,  how  do  you  like  her,  Phil?"  asked 
Larry,  after  we  had  completed  the  examination. 

"She  is  perfectly  magnificent.  Her  accommo 
dations  are  as  good  as  those  of  a  palace,"  I  replied, 
with  enthusiasm.  "She  exceeds  any  idea  I  ever 
had  of  a  yacht.  We  shall  be  as  happy  as  lords  in 
her." 

"I  hope  so.  We  have  a  first-rate  cook  and  two 
stewards,  and  we  may  feed  as  well  as  they  do  on 
an  ocean  steamer." 

"No  doubt  of  it.  And  I  think  she  will  make 
your  purse  sweat,  too." 

"I  hope  she  will.  Why,  I  paid  for  her,  and  three 


32  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

thousand  more  for  new  sails,  repairs,  and  altera 
tions,  without  making  any  extra  drafts  on  Sir 
Philip.  And  I  am  not  spending  all  my  income  yet. 
I  can  run  her  for  a  whole  year  on  what  is  left  of 
my  allowance,  and  have  something  to  spare  then. 
But  I  must  go  for  the  ladies,"  said  he,  glancing 
at  his  watch. 

We  went  on  deck,  and  Larry  departed  in 
the  boat,  leaving  Captain  Spelter  and  myself  on 
board. 

"And  so  you  are  to  command  this  yacht,  sir," 
said  the  skipper,  eying  me  again  from  head  to 
foot. 

"That  is  the  arrangement  I  made  with  Mr. 
Grimsby,"  I  replied. 

"Of  course  you  know  that  you  have  undertaken 
a  big  job." 

"I  don't  know  about  that.  I  shall  try  to  do  the 
best  I  can." 

"I  had  her  last  year,"  added  he. 

"And  you  wanted  her  this  year,  I  dare  say. " 

"Of  course  I  did;  but  then,  Mr.  Grimsby  told 
me  he  had  engaged  a  sailing-master." 

"What  wages  did  you  get  last  season?"  I 
asked. 


THE   TRAMPS   OF  A   TRAVELLER.  33 

"A  hundred  dollars  a  month,  for  the  season." 

"How  long  were  you  employed?" 

4 'Six  months." 

"What  do  you  do  the  rest  of  the  year?' ' 

"Not  much  of  anything;  only  odd  jobs,  as  I  find 
them.  But  I  don't  make  a  living  the  rest  of  the 
year." 

"How  much  do  you  want  for  the  whole 
year?" 

"I  ought  to  have  a  hundred  dollars  a  month." 

"That  is  more  than  I  get." 

"I  should  like  to  go  to  foreign  parts,  and  I 
am  willing  to  go  for  a  year  for  less,  if  the  yacht 
finds  me  all  the  time." 

"It  finds  all  hands.  If  you  will  go  mate  for 
eight  hundred  dollars  for  the  year,  all  right." 

"Well,  I  don't  make  half  that  in  the  clear," 
said  Captain  Spelter,  musing.  "I'll  go." 

"Very  well;  consider  yourself  engaged,"  I  re 
plied. 

"But  what  is  to  be  my  position?" 

"Mate,"  I  answered. 

"Shall  you  keep  a  watch  yourself,  Captain  Far- 
ringford?" 

"That  point  is  not  settled  yet." 
3 


34  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"I  don't  like  to  play  second  fiddle,"  added  he. 

* 'Don't  do  it,  then." 

"But  I  want  the  place  and  the  pay." 

"Do  as  you  like  about  taking  them." 

I  saw  that  he  had  something  in  his  mind  which 
he  did  not  like  to  utter ;  but  I  understood  him  just 
as  well  as  though  he  had  spoken  out.  He  did 
not  like  to  play  second  fiddle  to  a  youngster  like 
me,  was  his  idea.  And  when  I  looked  at  his  iron- 
gray  hair  and  bronzed  face,  I  did  not  blame  him. 
Probably  he  supposed  that  the  entire  charge  of  the 
yacht  would  devolve  on  him ;  that  he  would  ac 
tually  sail  her,  while  I  took  all  the  credit  of  it. 
He  doubtless  regarded  me  as  a  fancy  captain,  who 
would  live  in  the  cabin  and  amuse  the  owner,  while 
he  did  all  the  hard  work,  and  kept  his  watch  on 
deck  in  a  voyage  across  the  Atlantic.  He  looked 
me  over  again  from  head  to  foot,  and  there  was 
something  rather  contemptuous  in  his  expression. 

"Of  course  I  can  do  as  I  like,"  said  he;  "but 
I  should  like  to  know  how  I  stand  on  board .  Am  I 
to  be  the  actual  sailing-master?" 

"No,  sir,  you  are  not.  I  am  to  be  the  actual 
sailing-master,"  I  replied,  gently. 

"Do  you  think  you  can  take  the  yacht  across 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  35 

the  Atlantic  ?"  he  asked,  with  a  kind  of  incredu 
lous  smile.      "It's  a  big  undertaking." 

"If  I  could  not,  of  course  I  should  not  accept 
the  situation  I  have  taken." 

"But  you  expect  to  have  a  capable  mate." 

"Certainly;  one  capable  of  doing  a  mate's 
duty." 

"One  who  can  navigate  the  vessel,  you  mean." 

"No;  I  do  not  mean  that.  I  mean  a  mate's 
duty." 

"Have  you  ever  navigated  a  vessel?" 

"I  have." 

"Oh  I  all  right,  then,  "  said  he,  with  evident  sur 
prise. 

"If  I  don't  keep  my  watch  on  deck,  there  will 
be  a  second  mate  to  do  it  for  me." 

"I'm  satisfied." 

"So  am  I.  And  now,  as  we  are  to  sail,  we  will 
go  to  work.  Set  the  mainsail  and  the  foresail,  and 
heave  up  the  anchor  to  a  short  stay,"  I  continued. 

My  orders  were  promptly  obeyed;  but  I  saw 
that  Mr.  Spelter  —  as  ho  must  be  called  in  his  po 
sition  as  mate  —  was  on  the  lookout  to  catch  me  in 
a  blunder.  The  Blanche  was  just  like  any  other 
yacht,  and  I  knew  her  from  keel  to  truck.  By  the 


36  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

time  we  had  the  fore  and  mainsail  set,  and  the  an 
chor  hove  short,  the  party  from  the  shore  came 
alongside. 

" Why,  Mr.  Farringford,  I  am  so  glad  to  see 
you!  "  exclaimed  Blanche  Fennimore,  as  I  helped 
her  up  the  accommodation  steps. 

"And  I  am  just  as  glad  to  see  you,"  I  replied, 
grasping  her  little  gloved  hand. 

"This  is  a  very  unexpected  pleasure.  Do  you 
know,  that  queer  Larry  did  not  tell  me  you  were 
here,  Mr.  Farringford?" 

"Captain  Farringford,  if  you  please,  Blanche. 
He  is  the  skipper  of  this  mighty  craft." 

*  'I  knew  he  was  to  go  with  you ;  but  you  did  not 
tell  me  he  had  arrived." 

"It  was  only  to  surprise  you.  He  has  arrived, 
I'll  tell  you  now.  See,  the  conquering  skipper 
comes." 

"As  I  am  skipper,  you  must  excuse  me  for  a 
time,"  I  added. 

"Certainly." 

"Take  in  those  steps;  hoist  up  the  boat  to  the 
davits.  Forward,  there !  heave  up  the  anchor,  and 
stand  by  the  jib-halyards,"  I  continued. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  the  hands  forward,  as  Mr. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  37 

Spelter  went  to  the  forecastle  to  superintend  the 
execution  of  my  orders. 

"Bravo,  Phil! "  said  Larry.  "Now  top  up  the 
foreto' -bobbin,  and  take  a  double  reef  in  the  fly 
ing  jib-boom." 

"Anchor  away,  sir! "  shouted  Mr.  Spelter. 

"Hoist  the  jib!"  I  replied.  "Meet  her  with 
the  helm!  Starboard!" 

The  hands  forward  ran  up  the  jib,  and  the 
Blanche  slowly  gathered  headway. 

"Stand  by  fore  and  main  sheet!  "  I  continued, 
and  two  seamen  hastened  to  each  of  the  stations 
indicated,  while  the  rest,  under  the  charge  of  the 
mate,  secured  the  anchor.  "Ease  oft' the  fore  and 
main  sheets!" 

The  wind  was  about  west,  and  we  had  it  on  the 
beam.  A  stiff  old  quartermaster  was  at  the  wheel, 
and  tho  Blanche  went  off  beautifully.  I  had  nothing 
more  to  do  at  present,  and  Larry  introduced  me  to 
the  littl  j  party  he  had  invited,  all  of  whom,  except 
Blanche,  were  strangers  to  me.  Requesting  the 
mate  to  take  charge  of  the  deck,  I  went  below 
with  them.  I  think  Spelter  was  rather  surprised, 
and  disappointed,  to  find  I  was  able  to  get  the 
yacht  under  way  without  asking  his  advice;  but 


38  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

he  behaved  very  well;  and,  if  he  had  any  ill  feel 
ing,  he  suppressed  it.  The  party  examined  every 
part  of  the  yacht  with  interest,  and  were  delighted 
with  her.  We  went  down  to  Sandy  Hook,  and 
had  a  very  pleasant  excursion,  which  I  do  not  in 
tend  to  describe.  On  our  return  we  anchored  off 
the  Battery,  about  sunset,  near  another  yacht, 
somewhat  larger  than  the  Blanche,  flying  the  Eng 
lish  flag. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  39 


CHAPTEE  m. 

IN    WHICH     PHIL     ENGAGES     A     SECOND     MATE    FOR 
THE    BLANCHE. 

HAT  yacht  is  that,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I  asked, 
after  he  had  come  to  anchor,  and  furled 
the  sails. 

"I  don't  know,  sir;  I  never'  saw  her  before. 
She's  English,  but  she  is  a  fine  craft,"  replied  the 
mate.  "She  must  have  come  in  to-day,  for  she 
wasn't  here  yesterday." 

"Can  you  make  out  her  name?" 

"No,  sir." 

"I  should  like  to  know  something  more  about 
her,"  I  added.  "Get  out  a  boat,  if  you  please, 
and  ascertain  her  name." 

The  mate  sent  one  of  the  two  quartermasters 
on  this  errand,  and  I  went  below  —  where  our 
party  had  retired  when  the  yacht  came  to  anchor — - 
to  partake  of  a  collation. 


40  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"Come,  Captain  Phil  Farringford,  we  are  wait 
ing  for  you,"  said  Larry.  "Take  your  place  at 
the  head  of  the  table,  where  you  belong." 

"1  am  willing  to  yield  that  place  to  you,  for  I 
believe  the  sailing-master  of  a  yacht  don't  always 
mess  at  the  first  table  in  the  cabin." 

*  'He  does  here.  Take  your  place.  You  are  the 
Grand  Mogul  here." 

I  seated  myself  in  the  place  indicated,  and  Larry 
occupied  the  next  seat  on  the  right.  The  collation 
was  in  keeping  with  the  yacht,  and  the  cook  and 
stewards  had  evidently  spread  themselves  to  the 
utmost  on  this  occasion,  for,  besides  hot  oysters, 
cooked  in  all  styles,  there  were  boned  turkey, 
ham,  tongue,  salads,  ice-creams,  coffee,  tea,  and 
chocolate.  Everything  was  as  nice  as  it  could 
have  been  at  Delmonico's.  The  two  stewards,  in 
their  white  jackets  and  aprons,  were  all  atteii' 
tion. 

"Did  you  notice  that  yacht  on  our  starboard 
bow,  Larry?"  I  asked,  when  everybody  had  been 
helped,  and  the  rough  edge  of  the  appetite,  stimu 
lated  by  the  sea  air,  had  been  taken  off. 

"On  our  starboard  bow!"  exclaimed  Larry. 
"Good  gracious!  Why  didn't  you  oall  al] 
hands,  and  shake  her  off?" 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A   TRAVELLER.  41 

"Seriously,  Larry,"  I  added,  in  a  low  tone. 

"Seriously,  I  don't  want  another  vessel  on  the 
starboard  bow  of  my  yacht;  she  will  rub  the  paint 
off,  and  damage  the  foreto' -bobbin." 

"I  think  you  have  spun  that  bobbin  about 
enough.  It  isn't  nautical,  Larry." 

"Not  nautical!  You  shock  me  I  Being  the 
owner  of  a  yacht,  I  deemed  it  necessary  to  be  a 
little  salt  in  my  remarks,  and  make  an  occasional 
allusion  to  the  skysail  boom  and  the  maintop  gal 
lant  bobstay.  The  old  figure  of  speech  about  'tak 
ing  a  reef  in  the  stove-pipe'  I  discarded  as  antique, 
and  inapplicable  to  a  nobby  yacht  like  the  Blanche, 
where  stove-pipes  don't  prevail  much,  though  it 
answers  very  well  for  a  canal-boat,  or  a  Mississippi 
flat-boat." 

"Did  you  notice  the  yacht  near  us,  Larry?" 

' '  'Pon  my  word,  I  did  not,  Phil.  Having  a  cap 
tain,  mate,  and  all  hands,  I  can't  waste  my  ener' 
gies  in  that  direction.' 


"She  is  English." 


"Ah?  And  do  you  think  she  has  any  wicked 
intention  of  sailing  a  regatta  with  me,  and  mali 
ciously  beating  me?" 

"I  don't  know  about  that;  but,  seeing  an  Eng- 


42  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

lish  yacht  here  reminded  me  of  your  grandfather's 
letter. " 

"There  seems  to  be  a  very  close  connection  be 
tween  them.  But,  perhaps,  Phil,  if  you  have  any 
thing  to  say,  it  will  be  just  as  well  to  say  it." 

"I  sent  a  boat  to  ascertain  the  name  of  the  Eng 
lish  yacht." 

"Did  you?  That  was  a  very  laudable  curiosity 
on  your  part." 

"Do  you  happen  to  know  the  name  of  Miles 
Grimsby's  yacht?" 

"Undoubtedly  I  do.  I  saw  the  craft  at  Bristol, 
and  committed  to  memory  her  name." 

*  'I  am  very  glad  you  took  so  much  pains.  Here 
is  Mr.  Spelter;  and  probably  the  boat  has  returned, 
with  the  name  of  the  yacht,"  I  added,  as  the  mate 
entered  the  cabin. 

"That  yacht  is  the  Whitewing,  of  Bristol,"  said 
Spelter. 

"Thank  you,"  I  replied. 

"That's  a  very  pretty  name,  and  I  should  have 
chosen  it  myself,  if  my  yacht  had  not  been  already 
suitably  named,"  replied  Larry,  without  even  a 
start,  or  any  other  indication  of  surprise. 

I  saw  that  he  did  not  wish  to  talk  of  the  matter 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  43 

before  the  present  company,  and  I  permitted  it  to 
drop.  After  the  collation  both  of  the  boats  were 
brought  up  to  the  accommodation  steps,  to  convey 
the  party  on  shore.  As  we  were  about  to  embark, 
a  shore  boat  came  alongside,  and  a  man  in  a  sea 
man's  dress  stepped  upon  the  deck.  He  asked  for 
the  captain,  and  was  conducted  to  me  by  the  mate. 
I  judged  that  he  was  not  a  common  sailor,  for  his 
manners  indicated  some  familiarity  with  good  so 
ciety. 

"This  man  has  been  to  me,  and  wants  to  ship; 
but,  as  I  did  not  know  him,  I  couldn't  engage 
him,"  said  Spelter. 

' 'I'm  hard  up, ' '  said  the  applicant ;  "and  though 
I  got  out  of  the  forecastle  years  ago,  I'm  willing  to 
take  any  lay  you  can  give  me.  I  have  sailed  as 
mate  and  sailing-master  of  an  English  yacht  up  the 
Mediterranean,  up  the  Baltic,  and  made  a  summer 
cruise  up  to  the  North  Sea." 

"I  haven't  time  to  talk  with  you  now,  but  I  will 
be  on  board  to-morrow  forenoon  at  ten,"  I  replied. 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  answered  the  applicant,  po 
litely  touching  his  cap.  "I  will  be  on  board  at 
that  time." 

I  rather  liked  the  looks  of  the  man,  and  I  thought 


44  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OR 

his  experience  in  European  waters  would  be  of 
service  to  us.  He  was  about  forty  years  of  age, 
and  used  good  language,  though  he  tripped  a  little 
on  his  h's.  I  went  ashore  with  the  party,  and, 
after  Larry  had  escorted  Blanche  home,  I  met  him 
again  at  his  rooms. 

"Do  you  know  the  name  of  that  English  yacht 
off  the  Battery  ?"  I  asked,  the  moment  he  came  in. 

"I  do;  but  I  didn't  wish  Blanche  to  know  that 
Miles  Grimsby  was  within  two  hundred  feet  of  her. 
It  would  frighten  her  out  of  her  wits.  The  White- 
wing  is  Miles's  yacht,  without  a  doubt;  and  she 
didn't  go  to  the  West  Indies.  I  hadn't  any  idea 
that  she  would,"  replied  Larry. 

"And  you  suppose  that  Miles's  errand  in  the 
United  States  relates  to  you?" 

"No  doubt  of  it.  The  fellow  is  a  monomaniac 
on  the  subject  of  his  wrongs,  regards  me  as  his  evil 
genius,  and,  no  doubt,  considers  it  perfectly  justifi 
able  to  put  me  out  of  the  way  in  any  manner  that 
seems  convenient  to  him,  without  any  respect 
whatever  to  my  convenience." 

"1  do  not  see  what  he  can  do,  if  you  are  ordina 
rily  prudent,  and  keep  out  of  his  way." 

"My  self-respect  won't  allow  me  to  keep  out  of 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  45 

his  way.  I  can't  go  through  the  world  dodging 
and  shrinking  from  any  man.  He  is  my  enemy; 
he  has  hoisted  his  colors,  and  is  ready  to  kill,  burn, 
and  destroy  me.  Phil,  I  want  to  be  a  Christian  to 
wards  him." 

"Certainly ;  I  know  you  would  not  injure  him. ' ' 

"I  would  do  more  than  that;  I  would  be  his 
friend,  if  he  would  let  me.  If  he  were  in  trouble, 
I  would  help  him  out,"  said  Larry,  warmly. 

"That  is  the  right  spirit." 

"Now,  as  he  is  here,  I  intend  to  see  him,  and  as 
certain  what  he  wants.  If  I  can  make  an  arrange 
ment  with  him,  I  will  do  so.  I  will  induce  Sir 
Philip  to  give  him  and  his  sisters  a  fair  half  of  all 
the  property;  and,  as  for  the  title,  I  am  willing  he 
should  have  that,  if  there  is  any  way  by  which 
they  can  slip  it  by  me.  I  will  see  him  to-mor 
row.  I'm  not  afraid  of  him.  I  pity  him  more  than 
I  fear  him." 

"You  are  perfectly  fair,  Larry." 

"I  mean  to  be;  and  I  shall  make  a  strong  effort 
to  have  Miles  take  a  reasonable  view  of  the  situa 
tion.  Now,  when  shall  we  sail  for  Europe?" 

'cAs  soon  as  you  are  ready.  I  suppose  we  can 
get  off  in  a  day  or  two." 


46  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 

"We  need  not  hurry.  But  you  may  get  every 
thing  on  board,  except  the  fresh  provisions,  at 
once." 

"How  many  seamen  are  we  to  have?"  I  asked. 

"A  hundred,  if  you  want  them." 

' '  Sixteen  will  make  it  a  very  easy  thing  for  all 
hands." 

"Sixteen  it  is,  then.     We  have  twelve." 

'  'Yes ;  and  splendid  men  they  are,  too.  Am  I  to 
keep  a  watch,  or  not?" 

"How  should  I  know?"  laughed  Larry.  "I 
want  you  to  make  it  as  easy  as  you  can  for  your 
self.  Of  course  I  expect  you  to  go  with  me  on 
shore  whenever  I  go." 

"Then  we  need  a  second  officer;  and  very  likely 
that  Englishman  that  applied  yesterday  is  just  the 
man.  I  shall  see  him  to-morrow." 

"Perhaps  he  is  another  Cuore,"  suggested 
Larry,  alluding  to  the  Italian  who  had  been  the 
agent  of  Miles  Grimsby  in  Europe  the  year  be 
fore.  "Very  likely  he  came  over  in  the  White- 
wing.  " 

"No;  he  was  on  board  of  the  Blanche  several 
days  ago,  before  the  White  wing  arrived,"  I  re 
plied. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  47 

We  spent  the  evening  in  talking  over  our  plans 
for  the  future.  I  proposed  a  trip  up  the  Baltic  for 
the  summer  months,  and  up  the  Mediterranean  for 
the  winter  ones,  upon  which  I  had  studied  a  great 
deal  before  I  left  home.  Larry  and  I  had  been 
studying  German  during  the  winter,  and  he  pro 
posed  to  take  a  German  with  us,  and  continue  the 
lessons  on  the  voyage.  We  wrote  an  advertise 
ment  for  such  a  person,  which  appeared  in  the 
Herald  and  Times  the  next  morning. 

After  breakfast,  the  next  day,  we  went  on  board 
of  the  Blanche.  Spelter  was  directed  to  ship  four 
more  sailors,  and  the  steward  to  purchase  his 
stores  and  provisions  for  a  long  cruise.  At  the 
time  appointed,  the  Englishman  came  on  board. 

"How  do  you  like  the  looks  of  that  man,  Mr. 
Spelter?"  I  inquired,  when  I  recognized  him  in 
the  boat. 

"First  rate.  I  had  some  talk  with  him,  and  I 
know  that  he  is  a  good  seaman,"  replied  the  mate. 

"Do  you  think  be  would  make  a  good  second 
officer?" 

"I  have  no  doubt  he  would.  He  has  been  the 
sailing-master  of  an  English  yacht." 

The  man  came  on  board  and  saluted  me  politely 


48  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

and  deferentially,  in  spite  of  his  age  and  my  youth. 
I  invited  him  to  the  cabin,  where  we  seated  our 
selves  at  the  table. 

44 Your  name,  if  you  please,"  I  began. 

'  'Henry  Osborne.  I  am  from  Cowes,  in  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  and  have  been  among  yachts  nearly  all 
my  life,"  he  answered. 

"Have  you  ever  been  in  anything  except  a 
yacht?" 

"Yes,  sir.  I  made  one  voyage  to  India,  and 
came  home  as  second  mate,  when  1  was  nineteen. 
Then  I  went  to  China  as  second  mate,  and  made  a 
voyage  to  Barbadoes  as  first  mate.  After  working 
on  shore  for  five  years,  I  was  mate  of  Lord  Gilfly- 
er's  yacht,  and  went  for  eleven  seasons  as  sailing- 
master  of  several  yachts. " 

"You  seem  to  have  had  plenty  of  experience." 

"Enough  to  be  better  off  than  lam,"  he  an 
swered. 

"Why  did  you  leave  England?" 

"I  may  as  well  own  it,  sir.  I  got  to  taking  a 
drop  too  much,  once  in  a  while;  and,  as  no  one 
would  give  me  a  position  as  sailing-master,  I  went 
as  mate  then." 

4  *  You  don't  look  like  a  drinking  man, ' '  I  replied , 
rather  startled  by  his  honest  confession. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  49 

"I  haven't  tasted  liquor  for  six  months,  sir. 
The  liquor  is  so  bad  in  America,  I  couldn't  drink  it 
if  I  would;  but  I  have  no  wish  to  do  so." 

"No  liquor  is  served  out  on  this  yacht,  and  I 
will  not  keep  a  man  who  is  intemperate,"  I  added, 
squarely. 

"I  intend  to  be  a  sober  man  to  the  day  of  my 
death.  I  don't  drink  at  all  now.  Being  among 
the  gentlemen,  with  so  much  wine  and  brandy 
about,  I  got  into  a  bad  way.  But,  with  the  help  of 
God,  I'll  drink  no  more,  sir.  It  ruined  me.  And 
when  I  could  only  ship  before  the  mast  at  home, 
I  came  out  to  America,  last  autumn.  I  could  not 
go  before  the  mast;  and  I  had  plenty  of  recommen 
dations  from  the  finest  gentlemen  in  England,  who 
gave  them  to  me  before  I  took  to  drinking.  But 
in  the  winter  I  could  only  get  a  situation  as  a  por 
ter  in  a  store.  I  left  my  place  to  go  as  sailing-mas 
ter  in  a  yacht  a  month  ago,  and  spent  all  my  money 
in  fitting  myself  out  for  the  position.  Then  the 
owner  of  the  yacht  failed  in  business,  and  my 
chance  was  gone.  I  have  no  money  now  to  pay 
my  board,  and  my  landlady  holds  my  luggago  as 
security  for  it." 

"For  what  yacht  were  you  engaged?"  I  asked. 
4 


50  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"Indeed,  I  don't  know  her  name;  but  she  was 
to  sail  out  of  Baltimore,  and  her  owner's  name  was 
Mr.  McVicker,"  he  replied,  consulting  some  pa 
pers  which  he  carried  in  his  pocket. 

"Well,  Mr.  Osborne,  I  cannot  offer  you  a  posi 
tion  as  sailing-master,  or  even  as  mate,  but  we 
need  a  second  mate." 

"I  am  willing  to  take  any  place,  sir;  for  I'm 
hard  up." 

"This  is  the  owner,  Mr.  Grimsby,"  I  added,  as 
Larry  came  out  of  his  state-room.  *  'Mr.  Osborne. ' ' 

The  applicant  rose  from  his  seat,  and  bowed  low 
to  Larry. 

"What  wages  do  you  want,  Mr.  Osborne?"  I 
continued. 

"I  will  leave  that  to  you,  sir." 

"What  shall  I  say,  Mr.  Grimsby?" 

"Six  hundred  a  year.  That's  little  enough  to 
give  a  Christian  in  these  times." 

"Thank  you,  sir.  That's  very  handsome ;  more 
than  I  got  at  home,"  replied  Osborne,  with  a 
smile. 

"Then  consider  yourself  engaged,"  I  added. 

"I  am  very  grateful  to  you,  Mr.  Grimsby,  and 
to  you,  Captain  Farringford." 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  51 

" All  right." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  sir;  but  might  I  beg  the 
favor  of  a  small  advance,  to  enable  me  to  procure 
my  luggage?" 

"Let  him  have  a  month's  pay,"  said  Larry, 
promptly,  as  he  gave  him  the  money. 

"Thank  you,  sir,  "  replied  Osborne;  "you  have 
done  me  a  very  great  favor." 

"By  the  way,  do  you  know  this  English  yacht 
that  lies  near  us?"  I  asked. 

"It's  the  White  wing,  sir;  I  saw  her  at  Cowes, 
last  summer ;  but  I  was  never  on  board  of  her. 
It  was  said  the  owner  of  her  was  crazy,"  answered 
Osborne ;  "but  I  never  saw  him.  " 

"Wasn't  it  the  owner's  father  who  was  crazy?" 
inquired  Larry. 

"Very  likely  that  was  what  the  story  came 
from.  But  I  have  forgotten  his  name." 

The  new  second  mate  left  the  yacht,  and  Larry 
and  1  paid  a  visit  to  the  White  wing;  but  Miles 
was  not  on  board.  We  repeated  the  call  every 
day  for  a  week,  without  finding  him.  The  sailing- 
master  said  he  had  gone  to  Washington,  but  his 
return  was  daily  expected. 

We   shipped   our  four  men,  and  in  a  week  we 


52  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

were  ready  to  sail,  only  waiting  to  see  Miles.  We 
had  plenty  of  applications  from  teachers  of  Ger 
man,  and  engaged  one  who  had  been  a  clergyman, 
and  a  missionary  in  Egypt.  He  spoke  English, 
French,  and  Arabic  fluently,  according  to  his  tes 
timonials,  and  appeared  to  be  an  excellent  man 
besides.  He  was  poor,  and  wanted  to  get  home 
to  Germany.  He  was  willing  to  serve  us  without 
pay ;  but  Larry  agreed  to  give  him  fifty  dollars  a 
month,  with  a  berth  in  the  cabin.  Osborne  came 
on  board  the  day  he  was  engaged,  and  the  two 
mates  occupied  the  forward  state-room  together. 
He  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant  man,  a  good  sea 
man,  and  a  competent  navigator.  Larry  moved 
his  library  on  board,  and  our  baggage  was  in  our 
state-rooms.  We  made  another  excursion  down 
the  bay  with  Blanche  and  her  friends,  and  we  had 
decided  to  sail  the  next  day,  whether  Miles  re 
turned  or  not.  We  came  up  to  the  city  early  in 
the  afternoon;  Larry  went  home  with  Blanche,  and 
bade  her  adieu,  for  we  had  arranged  to  sail  early 
in  the  morning.  When  he  came  on  board,  the 
Whitewing  seemed  to  be  getting  under  way;  her 
foresail  and  mainsail  were  set ;  and  we  concluded 
that  Miles  had  returned. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  53 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IN  WHICH  LARRY  VISITS  THE  WHITEWING,  AND  PHIL 
GETS    THE    BLANCHE    UNDER   WAY. 

WHILE  we  were  considering  the  intentions 
of  the  Whitewing,  a  boat  put  off  from 
her,  and  pulled  towards  the  Blanche.  In  the 
stern-sheets  we  recognized  Miles  Grimsby  in  a 
Scotch  cap.  He  was  paler  and  thinner  than  when 
I  had  last  seen  him,  and  his  imaginary  wrongs 
had  apparently  weighed  heavily  upon  his  spirits. 
The  boat  ran  up  to  the  accommodation  steps,  and 
Miles  came  upon  deck.  Larry  stepped  forward  to 
meet  him,  and  extended  his  hand,  which  was  ac 
cepted,  though  apparently  with  some  doubts  and 
misgivings.  I  bowed  to  him,  but  he  took  no 
notice  of  me. 

"I  understand  from  my  sailing-master  that  you 
have  been  on  board  of  the  Whitewing  several 
times  to  see  me,"  said  Miles;  and  his  utterance 
was  choked  and  difficult. 


54  SEA   AND   SHOKE,  OK 

"I  do  wish  to  see  you  very  much,"  replied 
Larry.  *  'I  am  even  in  hopes  that  we  can  make 
an  arrangement  of  family  matters  which  shall  be 
satisfactory  to  you." 

"I  am  willing  to  meet  you  alone,"  added  Miles, 
glancing  at  me. 

* 'Entirely  alone,  if  you  desire  it.  Will  you 
come  into  the  cabin?" 

"Pardon  me,  but  I  prefer  that  our  meeting  shall 
be  in  the  cabin  of  the  White  wing,  where  we  shall 
be  subject  to  no  possible  interruption,"  answered 
Miles,  glancing  at  me  again. 

4 'I  assure  you,  Mr.  Grimsby,  I  will  not  interrupt 
you." 

"I  always  find  myself  at  a  disadvantage  when 
I  attempt  to  converse  with  both  of  you,  and  I  de 
sire  to  be  entirely  alone  with  you,  Lawrence." 

"Just  as  you  please,  Miles,"  added  Larry. 
"Phil  is  my  particular  friend,  and  knows  all 
about  our  affairs,  as  you  are  aware." 

"For  that  reason  I  desire  to  meet  you,  if  at 
all,  on  equal  terms.  The  interview  is  of  your 
seeking,  not  mine." 

"It  is,  Miles;  we  are  own  cousins,  and  I  don't 
wish  to  live  at  war  with  you.  If  there  is  any 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  55 

possible  chance  to  make  peace,  I  wish  to  bury 
the  hatchet.  I  will  do  anything  that  is  right  and 
reasonable.'' 

"Your  views  of  what  is  right  and  reasonable 
are  probably  very  different  from  mine,  and  I 
doubt  whether  it  is  of  any  use  for  us  to  discuss 
the  matter,"  said  Miles,  who  certainly  appeared 
to  be  more  pliable  than  I  had  ever  seen  him 
before. 

"It  can  do  no  harm  to  talk  over  the  matter." 

"Very  well;  if  you  will  go  on  board  of  the 
White  wing  with  me,  my  boat  shall  return  with 
you  when  you  are  ready." 

"I  will  go  with  you  with  pleasure,  since  you  de 
sire  it,"  replied  Larry,  glancing  at  me,  to  see  if  I 
approved  his  decision.  "But  you  seem  to  be 
getting  under  way." 

"I  intended  to  go  to  sea  to-night,  but  it  is  not 
at  all  important  that  I  should  do  so." 

"Sir  Philip  wrote  me  that  you  were  going  to 
the  West  Indies." 

"He  was  quite  right.  I  thought  to  sail  for 
Bermuda  and  the  West  Indies  to-night,  and  return 
to  the  States  when  the  hot  weather  came  on," 
replied  Miles,  in  what  seemed  to  be  an  unneces- 


56  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

sarily  loud  tone,  as  Larry  stood  close  by  him;  and 
I  judged  that  the  reply  was  intended  for  my  in 
formation  quite  as  much  as  for  that  of  my  friend. 
"Are  you  ready,  Lawrence?" 

"Quite  ready;  but  as  the  evening  is  cool,  I  will 
take  my  over-coat,"  answered  Larry,  descending 
the  steps  into  the  cabin. 

"Don't  you  go,  Larry,"  I  said,  earnestly,  as  I 
followed  him  into  the  cabin. 

"Why  not,  Phil?"  he  asked,  with  a  laugh. 

"I  wouldn't  trust  him." 

"But  I  am  hardly  go*ing  out  of  your  sight, 
my  boy." 

"You  know  that  he  is  treacherous,  Larry." 

"But  he'll  not  attempt  any  foul  play  right  here 
in  New  York  harbor." 

"He'll  attempt  it  anywhere,  if  there  is  a  chance 
of  success.  He  has  no  more  idea  of  going  to  the 
West  Indies  than  I  have.  He  came  to  New  York 
to  see  you." 

"Very  likely  he  did;  but  the  idea  of  declining 
to  go  on  board  of  his  yacht  here  in  port,  and  close 
by  my  own  vessel,  is  absurd,  Phil.  Why,  I  should 
be  ashamed  of  myself  all  the  rest  of  my  days,  if 
I  were  so  weak  and  childish,"  replied  Larry, 
lightly. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  57 

I  knew  it  was  useless  to  talk,  and  so  I  did  not 
talk  any  more.  Besides,  I  had  not  much  confi 
dence  in  my  own  position,  for  my  objections 
seemed  to  me  to  be  rather  ridiculous.  I  should 
certainly  have  gone  myself,  if  I  had  been  in 
his  place. 

4 'Go  if  you  will,  Larry;  but  carry  this  with 
you,"  I  added,  taking  his  small  revolver  from  its 
case  in  his  room.  "Put  it  in  your  pocket;  it  is 
loaded  and  ready  for  use." 

"You  don't  think  I  would  shoot  him  —  do  you, 
my  Christian  friend?"  added  Larry,  as  he  took 
the  weapon. 

"Not  unless  your  own  life  depends  upon  your 
action." 

"This  is  all  nonsense;  but  I  will  take  the  thing 
to  oblige  you.  I  don't  think  I  would  use  it  to 
save  my  own  life." 

"I  hope  you  will  not  have  occasion  to  consider 
the  question  whether  or  not  you  will  use  it ;  yet 
even  the  very  exhibition  of  it  may  be  a  stronger 
argument  than  any  other  you  can  use." 

He  had  a  pair  of  revolvers  in  his  room,  and 
without  any  very  definite  purpose  in  my  mind,  I 
put  the  other  into  my  own  pocket.  We  had  slept 


58  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OK 

on  board  two  or  three  nights,  rather  for  the 
novelty  of  the  idea,  than  for  any  other  reason; 
and  New  York  at  that  time  had  more  than  its 
usual  quota  of  the  dangerous  classes,  and  several 
vessels  had  been  robbed,  one  of  them  forcibly, 
two  of  the  officers  being  severely  injured  in  the 
affray  with  the  thieves.  We  had  loaded  the  pis 
tols  for  such  a  possible  occasion.  When  I  put 
one  of  them  into  my  pocket,  I  don't  know  that 
I  intended  anything  more  than  to  carry  it  into 
my  room  when  I  went,  as  I  had  done  before.  We 
went  on  deck,  and  Larry  got  into  the  boat,  in 
which  his  cousin  was  already  seated.  It  was 
nearly  dark  when  the  boat  shoved  off,  and  I 
watched  it  till  the  two  cousins  went  ou  board 
of  the  White  wing. 

I  felt  very  anxious  about  my  friend,  even  while 
it  seemed  absurd  to  me  to  entertain  any  fears 
lor  his  safety.  New  York  harbor  was  as  lively 
us  usual.  Sail-boats  and  row-boats  were  moving 
about  in  every  direction,  tug-boats  were  shooting 
here  and  there,  and  an  occasional  large  steamer 
caused  the  yachts  to  bob  up  and  down  in  the 
surges  produced  by  its  wheels.  The  revenue 
cutter  lay  near,  and  the  scene  was  almost  as 


THE    TRAMPS    OF  A   TRAVELLER.  59 

lively  as  Broadway  itself.  I  could  not  believe  that 
even  Miles  Grimsby  would  be  so  crazy  as  to  at 
tempt  any  treachery  under  such  circumstances. 
Still  I  kept  my  eye  on  the  Whitewing  until  only 
her  dark  outline  could  be  seen  in  the  gloom  of  the 
night. 

"An  uncommon  fast  sailer  is  that  yacht,"  said 
Osborne,  as  he  paused  at  the  standing-room,  where 
I  was  seated.  "She  sailed  around  the  Isle  of  Wight 
in  a  race,  and  took  the  first  prize;  but  the  wind 
-vas  very  light,  and  the  knowing  ones  said  she 
^ould  do  nothing  in  heavy  weather." 

"She  must  have  had  some  heavy  weather  in 
crossing  the  Atlantic,"  I  added. 

"Yes,  sir;  but  they  said  her  best  sailing  was 
with  a  light  wind.  Your  American  yachts  sail  very 
fast,  sir." 

"I  don't  know  how  they  compare  with  the  Eng 
lish." 

"If  we  go  out  together  in  the  morning,  we  may 
have  a  chance  to  try  a  bit  with  her." 

"She  is  twenty  or  thirty  tons  larger  than  the 
Blanche." 

"But  I  think  the  Blanche  must  be  a  very  fine  sail 
er.  Mr.  Spelter  says  she  has  taken  several  prizes." 


60  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

"What  is  she  doing?"  I  exclaimed,  suddenly, 
springing  to  my  feet,  as  I  saw  and  heard  a  move 
ment  on  board  of  the  Whitewing. 

"They  seem  to  be  heaving  up  her  anchor,  sir," 
replied  Osborne,  quietly. 

I  could  distinctly  hear  the  rattle  of  her  chain  ca 
ble,  and  my  heart  rose  into  my  throat.  I  was  on  the 
lookout  for  treachery,  and  that  noise  seemed  to  be 
the  first  sign  of  it.  I  could  just  discern  the  dark 
forms  of  the  men  at  work  on  the  forecastle. 

"All  hands  on  deck !  "  I  shouted,  not  very  loud, 
but  sufficiently  so  to  be  heard  all  over  the  vessel. 

The  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  the  men  in 
stantly  rushed  up  the  ladder  from  the  forecastle. 

"What's  the  matter,  Captain  Farringford?" 
asktd  Mr.  Spelter. 

"Man  the  windlass,  and  heave  up  the  anchor  to 
a  short  stay!  Be  lively  about  it,"  I  answered. 

"Are  you  going  to  sea  to-night,  sir?"  said 
Spelter,  in  evident  amazement. 

'  'I  have  no  time  for  words.  You  will  oblige  me 
by  seeing  my  order  carried  out  without  an  instant's 
delay.  —  Mr.  Osborne ! " 

"Here,  sir,"  replied  the  second  mate. 

"Loose  the  fore  and  main  sails." 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  61 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  Osborne,  with  more  zeal 
than  Spelter  had  shown. 

I  went  forward,  and  sent  ten  men  aft  to  loose  the 
sails ;  for  we  had  a  patent  windlass,  which  required 
but  few  hands  to  work  it.  I  kept  one  eye  on  the 
White  wing,  and  by  the  time  our  sails  were  cast 
loose,  I  saw  her  jib  go  up. 

"Man  the  mainsail  halyards;  lively,  my  men!" 
I  called,  nervously,  for  my  worst  fears  were  now 
confirmed. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  the  plan  of  inducing  Larry 
to  go  on  board  of  the  Whitewing  was  a  contrived 
one,  laid  in  advance. 

"Lively,  men!  lively!"  I  repeated;  and  Os 
borne  hurried  the  hands  to  their  utmost. 

With  six  men  at  the  throat  and  four  at  the  peak 
halyards,  the  mainsail  went  up  in  a  few  moments. 

"Hoist  the  foresail ! "  I  called  to  the  second  mate. 

"Anchor  apeak,  sir,"  reported  Spelter. 

"Clear  away  the  jib  and  flying-jib!"  I  replied. 

At  this  moment  the  Whitewing  went  by  the 
Blanche.  The  breeze  was  light,  and  she  moved 
but  slowly  against  the  flood  tide.  Her  crew  were 
setting  her  gaff-topsails,  and  I  judged  by  the  noise 
on  her  deck,  that  her  hands  were  doing  their  best. 


62  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

''Foresail  set,  sir,"  said  Osborne. 

"Man  the  windlass !     Heave  up  the  anchor ! ' * 

"Anchor  aweigh,"  said  Spelter,  a  few  moments 
later. 

"Man  the  jib-halyards!  Hoist  the  jib!  Star 
board  the  helm ! ' ' 

"Starboard,  sir,"  replied  Butters,  the  old  quar 
termaster,  who  was  at  the  wheel. 

The  Blanche  gathered  headway,  and  moved 
slowly  down  the  bay.  I  could  still  see  the  White- 
wing.  In  a  few  moments  Spelter  had  secured  the 
anchor. 

'  'Hoist  the  flying-jib,  Mr.  Spelter !  Get  up  your 
gaff-topsails,  Mr.  Osborne,"  I  continued;  and  our 
large  crew  enabled  us  to  execute  all  these  orders 
very  quickly. 

All  thu  hands  had  been  stationed  by  Spelter,  so 
that  when  an  order  was  given,  it  was  not  necessary 
to  designate  the  men  who  were  to  execute  it.  The 
gaff-topsails  were  brought  up  from  the  forecastle, 
where  they  were  stowed,  and  hands  had  already 
overhauled  the  halyards,  tacks,  and  outhauls. 
Though  our  crew  had  worked  together  but  a  short 
time,  I  doubt  whether  a  yacht  wras  ever  got  under 
way  any  quicker  than  the  Blanche. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  63 

"Cheeseman!" 

"Here,  sir,"  replied  the  second  quartermaster. 

"Go  forward  and  keep  your  eye  on  the  White- 
wing,  and  report  every  movement  she  makes." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir." 

We  had  the  wind  square  on  the  beam,  and  as  we 
went  out  from  the  shore  it  was  fresher  than  at  the 
anchorage.  The  Blanche  heeled  over,  and  began 
to  go  through  the  water  at  quite  a  lively  rate ;  but 
I  could  not  yet  see  that  we  gained  on  the  White- 
wing.  It  was  a  light  breeze  at  the  best,  and  I 
judged  that  the  English  yacht  had  the  advantage 
of  us. 

"Kather  a  sudden  movement,  Captain  Farring- 
ford,"  said  the  mate,  as  he  joined  me  on  the  quar 
ter-deck. 

"Probably  you  do  not  understand  the  situation 
as  well  as  I  do,"  I  replied,  hardly  able  to  control 
my  agitation.  "I  would  not  lose  sight  of  the 
White  wing  for  all  this  yacht  cost." 

' '  Why ,  what 's  the  matter  ? ' ' 

"You  are  aware  that  Mr.  Grimsby,  our  owner, 
is  on  board  of  her?" 

6  'No !    hasn't  he  returned  ?" 

"He  has  not." 


64  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"I  went  below  at  dark,  and  did  not  think  but 
that  he  had  come  on  board  again." 

"There  is  treachery,"  I  replied. 

< 'You  don't  say  so ! "  exclaimed  the  mate,  whose 
tones  indicated  utter  amazement. 

"Did  your  mate  use  to  ask  you  if  you  were 
going  to  sea,  when  you  gave  him  an  order?"  I 
asked,  for  I  was  provoked  with  him  for  his  want  of 
zeal  after  I  called  all  hands. 

"No,  sir;  but  then  we  don't  have  quite  so  strict 
discipline  in  a  yacht  as  they  do  in  a  man-of-war," 
he  answered,  sheepishly.  "The  order  was  rather 
sudden,  and  I  was  afraid  something  was  the  matter. ' ' 

"Something  is  the  matter;  but  I  don't  like  to 
have  any  one  ask  me  what  the  matter  is  when  an 
order  is  given.  The  worst  might  happen  while 
we  are  arguing  the  question." 

"You  are  right,  Captain  Farringford,  and  I  was 
wrong,"  he  added,  so  frankly  that  I  freely  forgave 
him. 

"All  right  now;  I  should  not  have  spoken  so 
decidedly  if  it  had  not  been  an  emergency." 

"I  hope  you'll  excuse  me,  captain,  for  I  mean 
to  do  my  duty,  and  obey  orders,  though  you  are  a 
good  deal  younger  than  I  am.  But  I  see  you 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  65 

know  how  to  handle  a  vessel;  and  I  know  the 
Blanche  never  got  under  way  so  quick  before." 

"I  am  entirely  satisfied,  for  you  did  your  work 
promptly  after  you  began. ' ' 

"I'll  begin  sooner  next  time.  We  don't  often 
have  any  emergencies  on  yachts,  except  when  we 
get  under  way  iu  a  race ;  and  then  we  are  all  on  the 
lookout.  But  I  can't  for  the  life  of  me  understand 
this  business  yet." 

"At  another  time  I  may  tell  you  all  about  it; 
now  I  can  only  say  that  the  owner  of  the  White- 
wing  is  a  cousin  of  Mr.  Grimsby,  and  has  the 
same  surname — Miles  Grimsby.  Our  Mr.  Grimsby 
is  the  heir  of  Sir  Philip  Grimsby,  an  English  baro 
net,  and  stepped  between  this  Miles  and  his  expec 
tations.  If  he  should  die,  Miles  would  be  a  bar 
onet,  with  an  income  of  half  a  million  a  year." 

"Whew!"  whistled  Spelter,  significantly. 
"Then  Miles  Grimsby  wants  to  get  our  Mr. 
Grimsby  out  of  the  way?" 

"Precisely  so;  but  I  don't  think  any  harm  has 
come  to  him  yet." 

'  'Heaven  forbid ! ' '  gasped  the  mate.  '  'I  under 
stand  it  all  now." 

"Then  be  sure  that  the  Blanche  does  her  best. 
5 


66  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

You  know  her  better  than  I  do ;  and  if  there  is 
any  expedient  by  which  her  speed  can  be  in 
creased,  let  me  know  on  the  instant." 

"She  is  doing  very  well  now,  sir;  but  the 
balloon-jib  will  help  her,  just  as  soon  as  we  get 
the  wind  a  point  farther  aft,  as  we  shall  in  a  few 
minutes." 

"Have  it  ready  to  bend  on,"  I  replied,  as  we 
went  forward. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir." 

"How  goes  it,  Cheeseman?"  I  asked  of  the 
quartermaster  on  the  lookout. 

"  She  isgaining  upon  us  a  little,  sir,  if  anything. ' ' 

I  examined  the  position  of  the  Whitewing  very 
carefully,  and  I  was  satisfied  that  the  quarter 
master  was  correct  in  his  judgment.  She  was  in 
creasing  the  distance  between  us,  but  I  hoped  the 
balloon-jib  would  give  us  the  advantage. 


THE    TRAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  67 


CHAPTER  V. 

WHICH   PHIL  DISCOVERS    THAT    THE    WHITEWINC* 
GAINS   ON    THE   BLANCHE. 


stand  by  to  start  your  sheets." 
I  gave  this  order  when  we  had  run  dow# 
nearly  to  the  Narrows  :  and  the  men  who  were  sta 
tioned  at  the  sheets  went  to  their  places. 

4  'Run  up  the  balloon-jib,"  I  added. 

I  did  not  believe  the  White  wing  had  a  sail  oi 
this  description,  and  I  hoped  everything  from  ours. 
The  English  yacht  was  twenty-five  tons  larger 
than  the  Blanche,  and  this  gave  her  the  advantage, 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  she  was  a  light-  weather 
craft;  and  Osborne  assured  me  that  her  best  sail 
ing  was  in  a  six  or  eight  knot  breeze.  In  the 
month  of  April  we  had  reason  to  expect  some 
heavy  weather.  The  Blanche  was  very  broad  on 
the  beam,  and  I  had  sailed  enough  in  her  to  under 
stand  that  she  would  behave  well  in  a  heavy  sea, 


68  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

when  the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale.  I  only  feared 
that  the  Whitewing  would  slip  away  from  us  when 
the  breeze  was  light. 

The  balloon-jib  was  promptly  run  up  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Spelter,  who  was  now  as  zealous 
and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  I 
could  wish  a  first  officer  to  be. 

4  'Starboard  the  helm !  Ease  off  the  sheets ! "  I 
continued,  at  the  right  time. 

Our  course  through  the  Narrows  gave  us  the 
wind  on  the  starboard  quarter.  The  immense  bal 
loon-jib  drew  splendidly,  and  I  immediately  ob 
served  the  effect  of  it  in  our  increased  speed.  I 
walked  forward  to  obtain  a  better  view  of  the 
chase. 

"How  goes  it  now,  Cheeseman?"  I  asked  of 
the  quartermaster  on  duty  there. 

"I  believe  we  are  beginning  to  gain  a  little, " 
replied  the  man.  "But  I  think  the  Whitewiug  is 
getting  ready  to  set  a  fore  square-sail." 

"Why  do  you  think  so?" 

'  'The  hands  are  at  work  forward .  We  are  gain 
ing  on  her,  sir,"  added  the  old  salt,  who  appeared 
to  watch  the  situation  with  quite  as  much  inter 
est  as  I  did. 


THE    CRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  69 

"Mr.  Spelter,  we  are  gaining  on  her." 

"Glad  of  it.  We'll  give  her  some,  yet,  if  she 
don't  slip  away  from  us  in  the  darkness,"  answered 
Spelter. 

"Get  up  your  fore  square-sail,  and  have  it  all 
ready." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  said  the  mate,  as  he  called  the 
hands,  and  proceeded  to  do  this  duty. 

In  a  short  time  he  reported  the  sail  ready  to 
be  set. 

'  'I  don't  mean  to  interfere,  Captain  Farringford ; 
but  I  hope  you  don't  intend  to  set  the  square-sail 
yet,"  suggested  Spelter,  in  respectful  tones. 

"No.  It  will  only  becalm  the  balloon-jib.  But 
off  Sandy  Hook  we  must  start  the  sheets  again. 
If  that  fellow  is  going  to  the  West  Indies,  as  he 
said  he  was,  he  will  have  the  wind  over  the  stern. 
If  he  is  bound  to  England,  as  I  suspect  he  is,  he 
will  stand  off  to  the  eastward." 

"Well,  captain,  I  rather  think  he  will  take  the 
course  that  will  give  him  his  best  point  in  sailing. ' ' 

"Probably  he  will.  But  this  is  still  an  open 
question  to  us,"  I  replied.  "If  he  goes  to  the 
eastward,  we  can  do  better  with  our  balloon-jib; 
if  to  the  south-east,  and  right  before  the  wind,  we 
can  do  better  with  the  fore  square-sail." 


70  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OH 

*  <Thav*8  »o,  Captain  Farringford.    I  should  think 
you  had  been  mailing  in  the  Blanche  all  your  life 
time." 

"But  the  principle  is  just  as  good  for  any  other 
Vessel  as  for  the  Blanche." 

*  'I  don't  know  but  it  is ;  and  I  know  it  is  right  for 
the  Blanche.  Weave  gaining,  captain, ' '  added  Spel 
ter,  with  considerable  excitement  in  his  manner. 

The  possibility  ot  overhauling  the  Whitewing 
led  me  to  consider  tLe  next  step.  I  could  not  be 
lieve  that  any  harm  hi~d  yet  come  to  Larry  Grims- 
by.  Miles  was  a  coward,  even  in  his  desperation. 
All  that  he  had  thus  far  done  in  his  attempts  to  rid 
himself  of  his  cousin  had  been  undertaken  in  the 
most  indirect  manner,  and  while  he  himself  was 
hundreds  of  miles  away  from  the  scene  of  action.  I 
was  morally  certain  that  he  would  not  resort  to 
immediate  violence  in  New  York  harbor,  or  even 
on  the  high  seas,  while  there  was  a  possibility  of 
his  yacht  being  overhauled  either  by  the  Blanche 
or  by  a  man-of-war  steamer.  I  could  form  no  idea 
of  Miles 's  purpose  in  regard  to  my  friend;  but  I 
felt  that  he  was  safe  from  violence  for  a  time,  or, 
even  if  he  was  not,  the  revolver  I  had  insisted 
upon  his  taking  would  enable  him  to  defend  him- 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  71 

self  to  the  best  advantage.  The  worst  that  I  was 
willing  to  imagine  was,  that  Larry  was  a  prisoner 
in  the  cabin  or  a  state-room  of  the  English  yacht. 
If  the  Whitewing  went  to  the  West  Indies,  possi 
bly  he  was  to  be  released  in  Havana,  and  disposed 
of  by  a  Spanish  bravo. 

Even  if  I  could  overtake  the  Whitewiug,  and 
lay  the  Blanche  alongside  of  her,  the  problem 
would  be  by  no  means  settled.  If  we  were  to 
fight  for  the  possession  of  our  owner,  I  was  not 
sure  that  my  crew  would  "take  any  stock"  in  the 
battle,  or,  if  they  would,  that  our  muscle  would 
carry  the  day ;  for  I  was  aware  that  the  English 
yacht  had  more  men.  I  hoped  it  would  not  come 
to  this ;  but  I  was  ready  even  for  this  emergency. 

Anxiously  I  watched  the  white  sails  of  the  chase, 
and  I  realized  that  we  were  gaining  upon  her.  We 
were  approaching  the  beacons  off  Sandy  Hook, 
where  the  problem  of  the  Whitewing' s  course  was 
to  be  settled.  We  were  now  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  her,  and  the  question  became  more  excit 
ing  than  ever.  Though  I  had  been  through  the 
channel  several  times,  and  had  carefully  studied 
the  chart  of  the  lower  bay,  I  asked  Spelter  to  act 
as  pilot,  because  he  was  entirely  at  home  in  this 
locality. 


72  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

4 'There  goes  her  fore  square-sail  I "  called 
Cheesemau,  from  the  forecastle. 

"That  settles  the  question,"  I  added  to  the 
mate. 

"How  does  she  head?"  I  shouted  to  the 
lookout. 

"She  has  started  her  sheets,"  replied  the 
quartermaster. 

"Then  she  is  going  off  to  the  south-east.  If  she 
had  been  going  to  the  eastward,  she  would  have 
gybed,"  said  the  mate. 

"It  is  plain  enough  that  she  is  going  off  before 
it,"  I  added. 

"Stand  by  the  sheets!"  called  Mr.  Spelter, 
when  the  Blanche  came  up  with  the  beacon. 
'  'Ease  off  —  lively !  Up  with  the  helm !  Now  run 
up  the  fore  square-sail ! ' ' 

All  these  orders  were  promptly  obeyed,  and  in 
a  moment  the  Blanche  was  headed  to  the  south 
east,  with  the  wind  nearly  aft.  Half  an  hour  on 
this  course  convinced  me  that  we  were  no  longer 
gaining  on  the  Whitcwing,  and  my  heart  sank 
within  me.  The  balloon-jib  hardly  helped  us  any ; 
and  I  had  found  that  our  strong  point  was  with 
the  wind  a  little  abaft  the  beam,  with  this  sail 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  73 

drawing  well.  But  I  had  the  consolation  of  know 
ing  that  we  about  held  our  own.  I  took  the  de 
parture,  and  the  mate  did  the  same.  Heaving  the 
log,  I  found  we  were  making  but  four  knots.  I 
was  confident  that  we  should  develop  another 
strong  point  as  soon  as  we  had  a  fresh  breeze ; 
and  I  hoped  we  should  soon  have  wind  enough  to 
compel  the  captain  of  the  Whitewing  to  take  in 
his  fore  square-sail,  which  was  proportionally  much 
larger  than  ours,  thus  giving  her  a  great  advan 
tage  in  a  light  breeze. 

The  crew  of  the  yacht  had  been  fully  organized, 
and  every  man  knew  his  duty.  I  had  directed  the 
mate  to  have  everything  done  in  a  seaman-like 
manner.  The  bell  forward  sounded  the  hours  and 
half -hours ;  all  the  tricks  at  the  wheel  had  been  ar 
ranged,  and  the  crew  had  been  regularly  divided 
into  watches,  and  stationed  accordingly.  It  was 
no  longer  necessary  to  keep  all  hands  on  deck, 
and,  agreeably  to  the  old  nautical  saying,  that  the 
captain  takes  the  ship  out,  and  the  mate  takes  her 
home,  the  starboard  watch,  W7hich  is  the  captain's, 
were  ordered  to  remain  on  duty,  while  the  port,  or 
mate's,  watch  went  below,  to  be  in  readiness  to 
take  the  deck  at  eight  bells,  or  twelve  at  night. 


74  SEA    AND    SHORE,   OR 

Though  my  watch  was  on  duty,  I  was  not  re 
quired  to  serve  with  it,  for  the  second  mate,  when 
there  is  one,  takes  the  captain's  place  in  keeping 
watch.  Osborne,  therefore,  had  the  deck.  I 
went  down  into  the  cabin,  and  Spelter  followed 
me.  I  spread  out  the  great  chart  of  the  North  At 
lantic  Ocean  on  the  cabin  table,  and  went  to  work 
upon  it  with  the  parallel  ruler  and  pencil.  We 
were  following  the  Whitewing,  and  I  took  from 
the  compass  her  exact  course.  Making  the  allow 
ance  for  a  variation  of  the  needle,  I  found  that 
the  chase  was  headed  for  the  Bermudas,  and  had 
laid  her  course  very  accurately  for  these  islands. 

"That's  clear  enough,"  said  Spelter,  who  had 
watched  my  calculations  with  interest.  "If  she 
was  going  to  any  point'  in  the  West  Indies,  she 
would  have  taken  a  course  more  to  the  southward. ' ' 

"But  she  is  playing  a  game;  and,  when  she  has 
fully  convinced  us  that  she  is  bound  for  the  Ber 
mudas,  if  she  can  get  out  of  our  sight  for  a  few 
hours,  she  will  change  her  course  to  the  southward 
or  westward,"  I  replied.  "Of  course  we  cannot 
depend  upon  airything." 

*  'That's  so.  A  fog  or  a  dark  night  will  give  her 
a  chance  to  dodge  us." 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A   TRAVELLER.  75 

"And  we  can't  help  ourselves." 

"No;  that's  a  fact.  She  won't  show  any  lights 
to  help  us." 

"Miles  Grimsby  said  he  intended  to  go  to  the 
Bermudas  and  the  West  Indies ;  but  he  does  not 
always  tell  the  truth." 

"He  wouldn't  be  likely  to  tell  you  where  he  was 
going  on  this  trip." 

"Certainly  not.  And  for  that  reason  I  am  not 
very  confident  that  he  is  bound  to  the  Bermudas. 
But  you  can  turn  in,  Mr.  Spelter.  You  are  wast 
ing  your  watch  below." 

"I  think  I  will,  captain,  for  I  like  to  be  wide 
awake  when  I'm  on  deck.  But  I'm  perfectly  will 
ing  to  stay  up  all  night  if  you  wish." 

"Not  necessary.  We  may  as  well  keep  cool,  if 
we  can;  though  I  don't  expect  to  sleep  any  to 
night." 

"I  suppose  you  are  nervous,"  said  he,  with  a 
smile.  "So  am  I;  and  I  don't  know  that  I  can 
sleep." 

He  went  forward  to  his  room,  and  I  continued 
to  study  the  chart  for  a  time.  Then  I  went  on 
deck  to  ascertain  whether  we  were  gaining  or 
losing  on  the  chase.  To  my  astonishment,  I  found 


76  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

that  we  were  losing  rapidly.  I  was  taken  all  aback 
by  this  discovery,  for  at  this  rate  the  Whitewing 
would  be  hull  down  by  daylight  in  the  morning. 

"What's  the  matter,  Mr.  Osborne?"  I  asked  of 
the  second  mate. 

"I  really  don't  know,  sir.  Everything  is  draw 
ing  well,  and  the  helmsman  keeps  her  as  steady  as 
a  vessel  can  be  kept  before  the  wind.  I  don't 
understand  it,  sir.  She  held  her  own,  at  first,  for 
some  time.  Possibly  they  have  put  more  sail  on 
the  Whitewing." 

"She  couldn't  set  another  stitch  of  canvas,"  I 
answered.  "Go  forward,  and  see  if  there  isn't 
something  wrong." 

"She  steers  uncommon  bad,  sir,"  said  Butters, 
the  quartermaster  at  the  helm. 

"What's  the  matter?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir.  Many's  the  mile  I've  steered 
her,  and  she  never  behaved  like  this  before.  You 
see,  sir,  she  carries  a  lee  helm  now,  and  she  never 
did  it  before.  I  can  hardly  keep  the  sails  from 
going  over.  She  feels  as  though  a  big  whale  was 
tugging  away  at  the  lee  side  of  her,  to  bring  her 
about.  I  don't  understand  it  at  all,  sir." 

"Give  me  the  helm,"  I  added,  taking  the  wheel. 


THE    TKAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  77 

Certainly  she  steered  in  a  most  extraordinary 
manner,  yawing  off  when  she  rose  on  a  billow, 
with  a  strong  tendency  to  gybe.  I  had  to  meet 
her  sharply  with  the  helm  every  time  she  went 
over  a  wave.  I  was  no  more  able  to  fathom  the 
difficulty  than  the  quartermaster  had  been.  Os- 
borne  reported  that  everything  was  all  right  for 
ward.  The  White  wing  was  running  away  from  us 
with  the  most  appalling  ease,  and  it  seemed  to  me 
that  the  pursuit  was  entirely  blocked.  I  sent  the 
quartermaster  to  call  Mr.  Spelter,  who  promptly 
responded  to  the  summons.  I  explained  to  him 
the  difficulty,  but  he  comprehended  it  before  I  had 
finished  my  statement. 

4  'I  never  knew  her  to  behave  in  this  manner  be 
fore.  She  acts  as  though  she  had  a  drag,  and  a 
heavy  one,  too,  on  the  lee  side,"  said  Spelter.  "I 
don't  understand  it." 

"It  is  plain  that  something  is  the  matter,  and  we 
must  ascertain  what  it  is,"  I  added,  impatiently,  as 
I  led  the  way  forward,  followed  by  both  of  the 
mates. 

It  was  too  dark  to  see  anything;  but  in  the 
waist  I  observed  that  the  water  on  the  lee  side 
seemed  to  be  disturbed.  There  was  a  kind  of  bub- 


78  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

bling  and  splashing  sound,  with  a  break  in  the  sea, 
which  maintained  the  same  relative  position  in  re 
gard  to  the  vessel. 

"What  is  that,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I  asked. 

"I  don't  know,"  he  replied,  leaning  over  the 
rail,  to  examine  the  strange  appearance  of  the 
water. 

"Is  it  a  fish?" 

"No;  I  think  not, "  answered  the  mate,  as  he 
took  an  oar  from  one  of  the  boats  which  were 
swung  in-board  on  the  davits. 

With  this  implement  he  proceeded  to  punch  and 
thrust  at  the  point  where  the  water  was  disturbed. 

"There!  I  hit  something!  "  exclaimed  he.  "It 
felt  like  a  barrel.  Here,  Osborne,  bring  a  boat- 
hook." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  the  second  mate,  who  at 
this  moment  was  near  the  lee  fore  rigging;  and 
he  run  to  the  nearest  boat,  to  obey  the  order, 

"There  it  goes!"  shouted  the  mate,  lifting  up 
the  oar.  "There's  a  rope  fastened  to  it!" 

I  plainly  saw  a  piece  of  whale-line  slide  over  the 
oar,  as  Spelter  lifted  it. 

"She's  all  right  now,  "called  Butters,  at  the 
wheel.  "She  minds  her  helm  like  a  lady." 


THE    TKAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  79 

"What  was  it?"  I  asked  anxiously. 

"It  felt  like  a  tub,  or  a  barrel,  and  there  was  a 
line  fastened  to  it.  Let  me  see;"  and  the  mate 
went  to  the  main  hatchway.  It  was  the  tub  we 
used  for  lowering  small  stores  into  the  hold. 

"What  tub?"     I  asked. 

"It  was  half  a  flour  barrel,  with  a  rope  bail 
across  the  top.  I  put  a  fifty-six  into  it  from  one 
of  the  boats  this  afternoon." 

"And  it  was  dragging  overboard?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"But  how  came  it  there?" 

"That's  more  than  I  can  say,  captain;  but  it 
couldn't  have  got  overboard,  with  the  line  made 
fast  forward,  without  help  from  somebody." 

"It's  very  strange!"  added  Osborne.  "I  saw 
that  tub  this  afternoon  on  the  main  hatch." 

I  inquired  of  all  on  deck  in  regard  to  the  tub, 
but  no  one  knew  anything  about  it. 


80  SEA  AND  SHORE,   OB 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IN    WHICH    PHIL    SPEAKS    VERY   CANDIDLY    TO   THE 
SECOND   MATE. 

I  WATCHED  the  white  sails  of  the  Whitewing 
with  increasing  interest.  The  tub  dragging  in 
the  water  had  enabled  her  to  gain  at  least  a  mile 
upon  us ;  but  it  had  fortunately  been  discovered 
in  season  to  prevent  the  utter  loss  of  battle.  I 
was  not  at  all  satisfied  with  the  mystery  which 
enveloped  the  tub,  for  I  could  not  imagine  how  it 
came  to  be  dragging  in  the  water  alongside  the 
yacht,  with  a  whale-line  evidently  made  fast  to 
some  part  of  her.  I  could  not  but  ask  myself  if 
there  was  a  traitor  on  board  —  some  one  in  the  em 
ploy  of  Miles  Grimsby.  The  thought  was  so  start 
ling  that  it  forced  me  to  investigate  the  circum 
stance  more  thoroughly. 

I  asked  all  the  hands  of  the  starboard  watch 
what  they  knew  about  the  tub.     All  of  them  had 


THE   TRAMPS   OF   A    TRAVELLER.  81 

seen  it  on  the  main  hatch,  but  no  one  could  afford 
me  a  particle  of  information  in  regard  to  the  man 
ner  of  its  going  overboard.  I  was  the  more  per 
plexed  by  these  answers.  It  was  half  past  ten 
when  I  went  below,  and  I  had  not  been  absent 
from  the  deck  more  than  half  an  hour.  Six  bells, 
or  eleven  o'clock,  struck  while  we  were  looking 
for  the  obstruction  to  the  speed  of  the  yacht. 

* 'Butters,  how  long  did  the  vessel  steer  so  bad 
ly?"  I  inquired  of  the  quartermaster  at  the  wheel. 

'  'About  half  an  hour,  sir , ' '  replied  the  man.  ' 'I 
felt  the  first  drag  on  me  just  after  you  went  below 
with  Mr.  Spelter,  at  five  bells." 

"Did  any  of  the  hands  come  aft?" 

"No,  sir." 

"Are  you  sure?" 

"Very  sure,  sir.  I  could  see  where  they  were 
sitting  on  the  forecastle,  and  not  one  of  them 
moved.  The  lookout  man  was  standing  on  the 
heel  of  the  bowsprit,  where  I  could  see  him  all  the 
time." 

This  only  corroborated  the  statement  of  the 
watch  forward. 

"Was  any  one  on  the  lee  side  of  the  vessel?"  I 
asked. 

6 


82  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"I  saw  Mr.  Osborne  there;  no  one  else,  sir." 

"Yes,  sir;  I  went  over  to  the  lee  side  several 
times,"  added  the  second  mate. 

"For  what  purpose?" 

"To  get  a  better  view  of  the  chase.  Accord 
ing  to  your  honor's  instructions,  we  keep  a  little 
to  the  weather  of  the  White  wing's  course ;  and  I 
could  see  her  better  from  the  lee  side,  where  the 
square-sail  did  not  obstruct  vision." 

"Of  course  you  were  aware  that  we  were  los 
ing  rapidly?" 

"I  was,  sir." 

"Why  didn't  you  report  it  to  me?" 

"I  was  just  thinking  of  doing  so  when  your 
honor  came  on  deck.  I  supposed  the  Whitewing 
was  getting  a  better  breeze  than  we  were,  and  ex 
pected  we  should  catch  it  every  moment." 

"That's  curious  logic,"  I  replied.  "Did  you 
expect  her  to  get  the  first  of  a  freshening  breeze 
when  she  was  a  mile  to  leeward  of  us  ?" 

"I  didn't  know  but  the  wind  had  changed  more 
to  the  westward." 

I  did  not  like  the  answers  of  the  second  mate, 
and  I  pressed  him  still  further  on  the  point.  He 
replied  that  he  supposed  I  had  turned  in,  or  he 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  83 

should  have  reported  the  situation.  I  went  be 
low,  ordering  him  to  call  me  if  there  was  the 
slightest  change  in  the  relative  position  of  the  two 
vessels.  Spelter  soon  followed  me,  and  as  it  was 
nearly  time  for  him  to  take  the  deck,  he  decided 
not  to  turn  in  again. 

"What  do  you  think  of  it,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I 
asked. 

"I  don't  know  what  to  think  of  it;  but  that  tub 
didn't  get  overboard  without  some  help,  I'll  wager 
my  year's  pay,"  replied  the  mate. 

4 'All  hands  agree  that  no  one  but  Osborne  was 
over  on  the  lee  side  after  we  came  below." 

* 'That's  a  fact." 

"And  it  is  rather  a  suggestive  fact." 

"Did  you  mind  where  Osborne  was  when  I 
asked  him  to  bring  me  the  boat-hook?"  asked 
Spelter,  in  a  low  tone. 

"No;  but  he  was  some  distance  from  me." 

"Well,  I  only  judged  by  the  sound  of  his  voice 
that  he  was  near  the  fore  rigging." 

"What  does  that  prove?" 

"Don't  you  see?" 

"I  do  see;  but  what  do  you  say?" 

"I  say  that  he  cast  off  the  line  that  held  the  tub. 


84  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

I  have  no  doubt  he  had  before  made  it  fast  to  one 
of  the  fore  shrouds." 

"Exactly  so;  that  is  my  theory,"  I  replied. 

We  had  both  come  to  the  same  conclusion  with 
out  any  consultation  before  on  the  delicate  point. 
It  was  apparent  to  me  that  we  had  a  traitor  on 
board,  though  it  was  possible  to  be  mistaken  in 
this,  as  in  almost  anything  else.  He  had  called 
me  "your  honor' '  two  or  three  times  —  an  expres 
sion  of  which  I  had  not  before  heard  him  make 
use;  and  it  was  suspicious  at  such  a  time,  for  an 
honest  man  don't  toady  to  any  one. 

"I  don't  like  to  accuse  him  of  this  treachery 
without  more  evidence,"  I  continued.  "But  I 
can't  trust  him." 

"I  dare  say  if  you  will  give^him  rope  enough  he 
will  hang  himself." 

"We  can't  afford  to  run  out  any  line  to  a  fellow 
like  him.  It  looks  now  just  as  though  he  was  sent 
on  board  to  make  mischief  to  our  owner.  What 
has  he  in  your  room?" 

"A  valise  and  a  few  clothes." 

"I  will  go  and  see. " 

We  went  through  the  pantry  passage  to  the 
state-room  of  the  mates.  The  suit  of  clothes 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  85 

which  Osborne  had  worn  when  I  first  saw  him 
was  hanging  in  the  room.  I  felt  that  the  circum 
stances  justified  me  in  examining  his  pockets  for 
any  evidences  of  his  treachery.  In  the  breast  pock 
et  of  the  coat  I  found  the  small  blank-book  from 
which  he  had  taken  the  papers  he  exhibited  when 
he  applied  for  the  situation.  They  were  here 
now,  and  I  examined  them  again  without  finding 
anything  to  implicate  him.  In  another  pocket  I 
found  a  key,  which  proved  to  be  the  one  that 
opened  the  valise.  This  contained  white  shirts 
and  woollens,  but  no  papers  of  any  kind.  As  I 
lifted  an  under  garment,  I  thought  it  was  very 
heavy;  and,  unrolling  it,  I  discovered  a  large 
leather  purse,  distended  to  the  utmost  with  coins. 
They  proved  to  be  sovereigns,  and  there  were  not 
less  than  forty  of  them. 

"That's  pretty  well  for  a  man  whose  baggage 
was  held  for  his  board,"  whispered  Spelter. 

"Of  course  the  man  is  a  humbug,"  I  replied, 
convinced  now  that  Osborne  was  a  "fraud." 
"But  I  would  like  to  find  some  letter  or  other 
writing  to  show  his  true  character." 

"There's  nothing  of  the  sort  here.  I  wonder 
the  rascal  left  the  key  in  his  pocket." 


86  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"Villains  always  leave  some  of  their  tracks  un 
covered,"  I  answered,  as  I  restored  everything  to 
the  condition  in  which  I  had  fonnd  it,  and  re 
turned  the  key  to  the  pocket. 

"I  suppose  you  are  satisfied,  even  without  any 
writings,"  added  the  mate. 

"Entirely  satisfied.  It  is  very  fortunate  we 
made  this  discovery  in  good  time.  If  I  had 
turned  in  when  you  did,  we  should  have  lost  the 
Whitewing  for  this  cruise." 

"No  doubt  of  it." 

"Now,  who  is  your  best  man  forward?" 

"Between  Butters  and  Cheeseman  there  is  not 
much  to  choose.  Both  of  them  are  first-rate  men, ' ' 
replied  Spelter,  as  we  returned  to  the  cabin. 

4 'Which  has  been  with  you  the  longest?" 

"Cheeseman;  he  is  an  old  man-of-war's  man; 
and  if  he  understood  navigation,  he  would  be  fit 
to  sail  a  yacht.  He  was  my  mate  last  year." 

"He  shall  take  Osborne's  place,  and  have  his 
pay.  Are  you  willing  to  take  him  into  your 
room?" 

"Certainly  I  am;  there  isn't  a  better  man  in  the 

world." 

"All  the  port  watch,  on  deck!"  shouted  one 
of  the  hands,  as  eight  bells  struck. 


THE   TRAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  87 

Mr.  Spelter  went  on  deck,  and  relieved  Osborne, 
while  Cheeseman  took  the  helm  from  Butters. 
The  second  mate  went  forward,  and  descended  to 
his  room  by  the  fore  hatch. 

44 Are  you  sleepy,  Butters?"  I  asked,  as  the 
quartermaster  went  forward. 

"No,  sir,  not  yet.  We  have  been  sleeping  in 
every  night  since  we  shipped." 

"I  want  you  to  answer  a  few  questions  before 
you  go  below,  without  fear  or  favor." 

"I  will,  sir." 

"How  long  was  the  mate  over  on  the  lee  side, 
after  I  went  below?" 

"Not  long,  sir." 

"What  was  he  doing  there?" 

"I  couldn't  tell,  for  I  was  not  noticing  him. 
When  I  have  the  helm  I  mind  it,  sir." 

"Where  was  he  when  the  yacht  began  to 
drag?" 

"Over  on  the  lee  side;  but  I  couldn't  see  him, 
sir,  for  he  was  between  the  fore  and  the  main  sail. ' ' 

"Did  you  hear  anything?" 

"I  can't  say  I  did,  sir;  but  I  called  to  him 
when  she  began  to  steer  badly.  I  told  him  some 
thing  was  the  matter;  and  he  said  he  could  find 
pothing,  sir." 


88  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"One  more  question:  how  do  you  suppose  that 
tub  got  overboard,  with  a  line  made  fast  to  the 
fore  shrouds?" 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea  in  the  world,  sir,"  re 
plied  Butters,  who  was  certainly  not  a  swift  wit 
ness,  though  he  had  said  enough  to  convince  me, 
if  he  had  not  to  satisfy  himself. 

The  fact  that  Osborne  was  not  upon  the  weather 
side  when  the  vessel  began  to  steer  wildly  was 
sufficient,  with  the  rest  of  the  testimony.  I  was 
too  nervous  and  excited  to  turn  in  myself,  though 
I  was  confident  that  the  mate  on  deck  would  get 
her  best  speed  out  of  the  Blanche.  I  went  below 
and  tried  to  compose  myself.  I  could  not  think ; 
I  could  not  read;  I  could  not  even  keep  still.  I 
walked  into  the  midship  passage-way.  I  heard 
Osborne  moving  his  things  in  the  state-room.  He 
had  not  turned  in,  and  I  opened  the  door.  He 
was  packing  the  clothes  which  hung  in  the  room 
into  the  valise.  I  told  him  I  wished  to  see  him  in 
the  cabin,  and  he  followed  me.  Seating  myself  on 
a  stool  at  a  circular  table,  on  which  the  chart  still 
lay,  I  looked  up  into  his  face,  as  he  stood  with  hat 
in  hand  before  me.  His  face  was  pale,  and  he  was 
not  so  devoid  of  emotion  as  I  supposed  such  a  vil 
lain  would  be. 


THE    TKAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  89 

"Sit  down,"  I  began,  pointing  to  a  stool. 

He  obeyed  me,  but  in  a  doubtful  and  hesitating 
manner,  as  though  he  feared  the  day  of  reckoning 
had  come.  I  looked  at  him  earnestly,  to  obtain,  if 
I  could,  any  further  evidence  of  his  perfidy.  He 
was  very  much  disconcerted,  but  whether  or  not 
this  was  only  the  embarrassment  which  even  an  in 
nocent  person  must  feel  when  regarded  with  sus 
picion,  I  could  not  determine.  He  did  not  look 
me  as  squarely  in  the  face  as  I  like  to  have  a  per 
son  do. 

"Mr.  Osborne,  I  am  not  satisfied  with  your 
conduct,"  I  continued,  when  he  had  seated  him 
self. 

"I  am  very  sorry,  captain,  but  I  don't 
think  I  have  done  anything  wrong,"  he  re 
plied. 

"I  think  you  lowered  that  tub  overboard,  and 
fastened  the  line  to  the  fore  rigging. ' ' 

"I,  sir?" 

"What  I  mean  I  speak  out." 

"You  are  very  candid,  certainly;  and  if  you 
think  I  have  done  anything  wrong,  I  hope  you  will 
say  so." 

"I  have  said  so." 


90  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"Would  you  oblige  me  by  proving  what  you  say, 
Captain  Farringford?" 

"I  may  not  be  able  to  prove  all  that  I  believe; 
but  I  believe  it  none  the  less." 

"You  will  allow  that  it  is  hardly  fair  to  condemn 
me  without  proof,  sir." 

"I  can  prove  that  you  have  imposed  upon  me. 
During  your  watch  on  deck,  we  find  that  tub,  with 
a  fifty-six  in  it,  dragging  in  the  water  by  a  line 
made  fast  to  the  fore  rigging.  The  man  at  the 
helm  informs  you  that  something  is  the  matter, 
but  you  don't  trouble  yourself  at  all  about  it." 

"But  I  did  not  know  what  it  was." 

*  'I  think  you  did.  When  you  saw  that  Mr.  Spel 
ter  was  in  the  way  of  finding  the  drag,  you  went 
to  the  fore  rigging,  and  cast  off  the  line.  The  fifty- 
six  carried  it  down,  and  we  lost  it.  It  was  utterly 
impossible  that  any  one  else  could  have  done  this 
thing.  The  quartermaster  could  not  leave  the 
helm,  and  none  of  the  watch  forward  came  aft,  or 
moved  from  their  places  at  the  heel  of  the 
bowsprit." 

"It  is  rather  hard  to  be  accused  in  this  way." 

"Will  you  explain  how  the  tub  got  into  the 
water?" 


THE    TRAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  91 

"Of  course  I  can't  do  that." 

"You  said  you  saw  it  on  the  main  hatch. " 

"I  did,  sir." 

*  'Do  you  believe  it  got  overboard  without  help  ?' ' 

"Of  course  not." 

"And  no  one  but  yourself  went  near  it.  If  you 
cannot  explain  the  matter,  no  one  else  can." 

'  'Why  should  I  do  such  a  thing,  Captain  Farring- 
ford?"  he  asked,  when  he  found  himself  unable  to 
answer  me. 

"I  will  tell  you  why ;  because  you  are  eniployed 
and  paid  by  Miles  Grimsby  to  assist  in  putting  our 
owner  out  of  the  way,"  I  replied,  somewhat  ex 
cited. 

"I,  sir?  Is  it  possible  that  you  can  think  me 
guilty  of  such  a  crime?" 

'  'I  am  entirely  satisfied  on  this  point.  Of  course 
this  scheme  to  carry  off  Mr.  Lawrence  Grimsby 
was  considered  before  it  was  put  into  execution, 
and  you  were  sent  on  board  the  Blanche  to  make  it 
sure  by  such  a  trick  as  we  discovered  to-night. 
This  is  the  whole  truth,  and  of  course  you  know  it 
as  well  as  I  do." 

"Indeed,  you  wrong  me,  sir,"  he  replied,  with 
out  any  excitement  or  indignation  in  his  manner. 


92  SEA   AND    SHOKE,   OR 

"And  you  are  an  impostor,  besides.  The  pret 
ty  story  you  told  me  about  your  luggage  being 
held  for  your  board  was  all  humbug.  You  have 
money  enough  to  pay  your  expenses  for  six 
months." 

"Upon  my  word,  I  have  only  what  Mr.  Grimsby 
paid  me,  less  the  amount  I  gave  my  landlady,  i 
was  very  grateful  to  you  and  the  owner  for  youx 
kindness,  for  it  got  me  out  of  a  very  uncomfortable 
position.  I  haven't  twenty  dollars  left;  and  here 
it  is,"  he  protested,  taking  his  wallet  from  his 
pocket. 

"Will  you  open  your  valise,  and  let  me  see  what 
is  in  that?" 

"My  valise?"  he  added,  more  disturbed  than 
ever. 

"No  doubt  Miles  Grimsby  pays  liberally  for 
such  service  as  you  render  him,  and  I  am  satisfied 
that  you  could  not  have  been  so  utterly  penniless 
as  you  represented  yourself  to  be." 

"I  told  you  only  the  truth,  sir." 

"Let  me  see  the  inside  of  your  valise,  then." 

"Certainly,  sir,  if  you  desire  it." 

He  rose  from  the  stool,  and  led  the  way  to  his 
state-room,  which  was  lighted  by  a  gimbal  lamp. 


THE   TKAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  93 

He  unlocked  the  valise,  in  which  I  found  he  had 
packed  the  clothes  that  had  hung  in  the  room  at 
my  former  visit. 

" Search  for  yourself,"  said  he,  stepping  back. 

I  did  search  for  myself,  but  the  purse  of  gold 
was  not  there  now.  I  pulled  over  every  article  in 
the  valise,  but  it  had  strangely  disappeared. 


94  SEA  AND   SHOKE,  OR 


CHAPTER 

IN   WHICH   PHIL   DISPOSES    OF     THE    SECOND   MATE. 

I  WAS  not  quite  willing  to  tell  Osborne  that  I 
had  before  examined  his  effects,  nor  was  I 
ready  to  give  up  the  point  I  had  made. 

44 You  see  there  is  nothing  in  my  valise,"  said 
the  second  mate,  in  a  mildly-triumphant  tone. 

"But  do  you  say  that  you  have  no  money  except 
what  is  left  of  the  sum  paid  you  by  Mr.  Grimsby  ?" 
I  asked. 

"Certainly,  I  say  so.  I  hope  you  don't  think  me 
capable  of  a  direct  lie,  Captain  Farringford,"  he 
replied. 

"Whether  I  do  or  do  not,  I  purpose  to  examine 
your  room  a  little  further.  If  I  find  that  I  am  mis 
taken,  I  shall  be  even  better  satisfied  than  you 
are  with  the  result. ' ' 

While  I  was  speaking  I  looked  about  the  state 
room,  in  which  I  was  satisfied  that  the  purse  of 


THE   TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER.  95 

sovereigns  was  concealed.  He  seemed  to  have 
used  his  first  spare  time  aftej  the  yacht  went  to 
sea  in  putting  away  his  best  clothes,  and  other 
wise  arranging1  his  state-room.  I  could  not  ima- 

O         O  < 

gine  why  he  had  taken  the  gold  from  his  valise, 
unless  he  suspected  that  I  had  overhauled  his  lug 
gage,  which  seemed  hardly  probable  to  me.  This 
room,  as  I  have  before  stated,  had  originally  been 
fitted  up  for  the  captain  of  the  yacht,  and  there 
were  plenty  of  conveniences  for  stowing  away 
clothing  and  other  articles.  I  looked  into  several 
lockers  and  drawers,  without  finding  the  money, 
and  finally  opened  the  little  closet  under  the  wash- 
stand.  Having  had  occasion  to  conceal  my  own 
treasure  more  than  once,  I  not  only  examined  the 
bottom  of  the  closet,  where  alone  any  article  could 
be  placed,  but  I  thrust  my  hand  into  every  corner 
of  the  upper  part  of  the  aperture.  Behind  the 
wash  bowl,  and  resting  upon  the  lead  pipe  which 
supplied  the  bowl  with  water,  I  discovered  what  I 
was  in  search  of.  The  pipe  had  evidently  been 
bent  down  so  as  to  afford  a  resting-place  for  the 
purse. 

I  was  rather  afraid  that  Osborne,  when  he  found 
that  he  had  lost  his  case,  would  turn  upon  me 


96  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

with  violence,  though  thus  far  he  had  been  as  gen 
tle  as  a  lamb ;  and  I  was  very  careful  in  my  move 
ments.  I  did  not  indicate  that  I  had  found 
anything  until  I  had  regained  my  feet. 

"Return  to  the  cabin,  if  you  please,"  said  I, 
finishing  the  search. 

"I  don't  see  in  what  manner  all  these  proceedings 
affect  me, "  he  replied,  backing  out  of  the  room, 
and  then  following  me  into  the  cabin.  "I  own 
nothing  in  that  state-room  but  my  valise,  which 
contains  all  I  possess  in  the  world." 

"Is  that  yours  ?"  I  asked,  throwing  the  bag  upon 
the  table. 

"Certainly  not.  I  wish  it  was,"  he  answered, 
coolly. 

"This  is  not  your  money?"    I  repeated. 

"I  am  sorry  to  say,  it  is  not.  It  chinks  heavy; 
if  it  is  gold,  it  is  more  money  than  I  ever  had  at 
one  time  in  my  life." 

"Whose  can  it  be,  then?"  I  asked. 

"That's  more  than  I  know;  but  I  suppose  it 
belongs  to  Mr.  Spelter.  I  will  go  on  deck  and  ask 
him,  if  you  desire." 

"Yes;  go." 

As  he  went  up  the  steps,  I  opened  the  bag,  and 


THE   TEAMPS   OF  A   TRAVELLER.  97 

discovered,  what  I  had  not  before  observed,  his 
name  on  the  inside  of  the  bag.  The  second  mate 
was  absent  a  longer  time  than  was  required  to  ask 
a  simple  question,  and  dropping  the  bag  into  my 
side  pocket,  I  went  on  deck. 

"What  does  he  say?"  I  inquired,  when  I  came 
to  the  two  mates  on  the  quarter-deck. 

"I  was  just  explaining  the  circumstances  to 
him,"  replied  Osborne. 

"The  question  was  answered  squarely  enough 
in  the  beginning,"  said  Spelter.  "The  money 
don't  belong  to  me." 

"Come  into  the  cabin,  both  of  you,"  I  added, 
leading  the  way. 

"This  is  very  strange  indeed,"  protested  Os 
borne,  as  he  seated  himself  in  the  cabin.  "I  sup 
posed,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  the  money  be 
longed  to  Mr.  Spelter." 

"You  tried  hard  enough  to  persuade  me  that  it 
did, ' '  replied  the  mate,  indignantly .  "He  told  me 
the  money  was  mine,  if  I  only  had  a  mind  to  say 
so,  captain." 

"Your  saying  so  would  not  have  convinced 
me  that  such  was  the  fact,"  I  answered.  "I 
should  have  thought  it  very  strange  that  Jacob 
7 


98  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

Osborne 's  name  should  be  on  a  purse  of  money  be 
longing  to  Mr.  Spelter." 

I  opened  the  purse,  which  was  made  of  chamois 
leather,  and  had  probably  been  used  for  years.  I 
pointed  out  the  name,  which  was  just  plain 
enough  to  be  read.  Probably  the  owner  had  for 
gotten  this  circumstance,  as  rogues  and  villains 
are  very  apt  to  make  little  blunders  which  betray 
them. 

"Does  this  convince  you  that  the  money  be 
longs  to  you,  Mr.  Osborne?"  I  inquired,  pointing 
to  the  name  on  the  bag. 

"No,  sir;  certainly. not.  It  only  convinces  me 
that  my  ruin  is  a  foregone  conclusion.  You  are 
determined  to  convict  me.  I  hope  you  didn't 
write  my  name  in  that  purse  yourself,  sir,"  he  re 
plied,  with  an  effrontery  which  was  as  cool  as  it 
was  astonishing. 

"Well,  Osborne,  you  are  the  most  impudent 
liar  I  ever  met  yet,"  said  Spelter,  unable  longer  to 
control  his  indignation. 

"I  know  of  no  reason  why  both  of  you  should 
seek  to  injure  me." 

"You  brought  that  money  on  board  in  your 
valise,  Osborne,"  persisted  Spelter.  "I  saw  it 
there  myself." 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  99 

"Did  you  open  my  valise,  Mr.  Spelter?"  de 
manded  Osborne. 

"He  did  not;  but  I  did,"  I  interposed. 

"You  did?"  exclaimed  he,  pale  with  anger  and 
emotion. 

"I  did." 

"And  I  helped  him,"  added  the  mate. 

"Have  I  fallen  among  thieves?" 

"No;  but  we  have  fallen  among  one  thief,"  re 
plied  Spelter. 

"Do  you  consider  that  you  have  any  right  to 
examine  iny  private  property,  Captain  Earring- 
ford  ?" 

"Under  ordinary  circumstances,  no.  But  when 
the  liberty,  and  even  the  life,  of  my  friend,  and 
your  employer,  are  in  peril,  I  regard  myself  as 
perfectly  justified  in  doing  so.  I  think  I  have 
proved  that  you  are  an  imposter;  that  you  are 
conspiring  against  your  employer." 

"I  have  nothing  more  to  say,"  he  answered. 

"I  have.  I  will  no  longer  trust  you  in  any  po 
sition  of  responsibility  on  board  this  yacht.  You 
are  no  longer  second  mate." 

"Then  I  am  no  longer  anything,"  muttered  Os 
borne. 


100  SEA    AND    SHORE,   OR 

"You  can  take  your  money,"  I  added,  handing 
him  the  bag. 

"I  am  willing  to  take  it,  since  you  insist  upon 
it." 

"As  you  have  taken  your  advance,  I  shall  —  " 

"As  you  have  made  me  rich,  I  can  pay  you  back 
the  advance,"  said  he,  taking  ten  sovereigns 
from  the  bag,  and  placing  them  on  the  table. 

<  'Very  well ,  Mr.  Osborne.  I  ask  nothing  of  you. 
You  are  in  the  employ  and  pay  of  Miles  Grimsby. 
Let  me  inform  you  that  any  attempt  on  your  part 
to  interfere  with  the  working  of  this  vessel  in  any 
manner  will  subject  you  to  such  treatment  as  you 
deserve.  I  will  put  you  in  irons,  or  put  a  bullet 
through  you,  as  the  case  may  require,"  I  contin 
ued,  toying  with  the  revolver  I  had  carried  with 
me  all  the  evening. 

"You  can  move  your  traps  out  of  my  state-room 
as  quick  as  you  please,  for  I  won't  bunk  with  such 
a  villain  as  you  have  proved  yourself  to  be,"  added 
Spelter,  indignantly. 

"Am  I  to  berth  on  deck?" 

"No;  in  the  forecastle,"  answered  the  wrathful 
mate. 

"You  may  berth  in  the  cabin.     I  prefer  to  have 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER. 


you  here,  where  I  can  see  what  you  are  about,"  I 
interposed  .  *  *  Y  ou  will  consider  yourself  a  passen 
ger,  and  have  nothing  to  say  to  the  crew." 

I  pointed  out  one  of  the  four  berths  in  the  cabin 
for  his  use,  and  he  brought  his  effects  from  the 
mates'  room.  He  appeared  to  assent  to  all  I  had 
said;  and  in  a  few  moments  after  Spelter  went  on 
deck,  he  turned  in.  I  was  very  well  satisfied 
with  what  had  been  accomplished,  and  I  rejoiced 
that  we  had  so  early  ascertained  the  treacherous 
character  of  the  second  mate.  If  I  had  not  gone 
on  deck  as  I  did  in  Osborne's  watch,  probably  we 
should  not  again  have  seen  the  Whitewing.  He 
had  come  on  board  to  do  just  this  work;  and  if  I 
had  turned  in,  as  he  supposed  I  had  done,  he 
would  have  effected  his  purpose. 

I  was  still  too  nervous  to  sleep,  and  I  went  on 
deck  again.  The  wind  was  hauling  more  to  the 
westward,  and  increasing  in  force.  Several  pulls 
had  been  given  at  the  sheets.  So  far  as  I  could 
judge,  the  Whitewing  maintained  her  relative  dis 
tance  ;  but  the  breeze  continued  to  freshen,  and  at 
three  bells  we  had  it  nearly  on  the  beam.  The 
fore  square-sail  was  taken  in,  and  the  balloon-jiD 
told  tremendously  in  our  favor.  Then  we  began 
to  gain  on  the  chase. 


SHOEE,   OK 

I  had  already  informed  Cheeseman  that  he  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  second  mate,  and  he 
had  turned  in  again  in  order  to  be  in  readiness  for 
the  morning  watch.  As  everything  was  well  on 
deck,  I  turned  in  myself  at  four  bells,  and  I  did 
not  wake  till  six  o'clock.  I  found  that  the 
Blanche  was  considerably  heeled  over,  and  ap 
peared  to  be  going  through  the  water  at  a  rapid 
rate.  I  went  on  deck,  and  saw  the  chase  less  than 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead  of  us.  Mr.  Cheeseman, 
the  new  second  officer,  was  on  deck,  and  he  was 
paying  the  best  of  attention  to  the  sailing  of  the 
yacht.  The  wind  was  about  on  the  beam  and 
blowing  a  ten-knot  breeze.  It  was  emphatically 
lively,  for  the  Blanche  had  all  the  sail  set  that  she 
could  possibly  stagger  under.  But  she  made  bet 
ter  weather  of  it  than  the  Whitewing,  which  ap 
peared  to  be  laboring  badly  under  her  press  of 
canvas. 

"We  shall  be  up  with  her  in  a  couple  of  hours, 
at  this  rate,  sir,"  said  Cheeseman. 

"Yes;  but  she  cannot  carry  all  that  sail  much 
longer,"  I  replied. 

"No,  sir;  she  is  worrying  under  it.  There  she 
goes>  sir!  She  is  taking  in  her  square-sail." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       103 

Reducing  her  sail  eased  her,  so  that  she  went 
along  just  as  rapidly;  for  it  does  not  help  a  vessel 
to  crowd  her  too  much,  when  it  is  blowing  fresh. 
She  had  been  driving  her  bows  under,  and  knock 
ing  the  water  about  furiously.  We  continued  to 
gain  on  her,  however;  and  when  I  came  up  from 
breakfast  with  Mr.  Spelter  at  eight  bells,  we  were 
vvijthin  hailing  distance  of  the  chase. 

"We  must  shorten  sail,  or  run  ahead  of  her," 
said  the  mate,  who  now  took  charge  of  the  deck. 

"Let  her  drive  a  while  longer,"  I  added. 

"What  can  you  do,  now  you  are  up  with  her? 
Do  you  intend  to  lay  her  aboard?" 

"No,  nothing  of  the  kind.  I  don't  think  we  can 
make  anything  out  of  a  fight,  and  we  might  get 
into  trouble.  If  we  boarded  him,  he  might  put  an 
English  man-of-war  upon  our  track,  or,  if  we  failed, 
hand  us  over  to  the  authorities  in  any  port  to 
which  he  might  lead  us.  I  think  it  is  the  safer 
way  to  proceed  strictly  according  to  law." 

"But  the  villain  may  throw  Mr.  Grimsby  over 
board,  poison  him,  or  smother  him,  before  we  can 
do  anything  according  to  law." 

"Well,  how  would  you  proceed,  Mr.  Spelter?" 

"I  don't  exactly  know;  but  it  seems  to  me  I 
should  run  him  down,  or  lay  him  aboard." 


104  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"If  you  run  him  down,  you  may  destroy  our 
friend  with  the  others.  If  you  run  alongside,  as 
we  can,  wo  shall  have  to  fight  it  out,  and  actually 
capture  the  yacht,  which  is  dangerous  business. 
No.  As  long  as  I  can  keep  near  him,  I  shall  be 
content  to  wait.  But  I  don't  believe  any  harm 
will  come  to  Mr.  Giimsby  while  our  vessel  is  in 
sight.  Now,  luff  a  little,  and  we  will  run  up 
abreast  of  the  Whitewing." 

The  helm  was  put  down  a  little,  and  a  pull  taken 
in  the  sheets.  Our  balloon-jib  enabled  us  to  have 
it  all  our  own  way,  and  in  half  an  hour  we  were 
squarely  abreast  of  the  chase,  in  a  position  from 
which  I  could  have  tossed  a  biscuit  on  her  deck. 
With  an  opera-glass  I  examined  the  persons  in 
sight,  but  Larry  and  Miles  were  not  among  them. 

"Whitewing,  ahoy!"  I  shouted. 

"Onboard  the  Blanche!"  replied  the  captain 
of  the  chase. 

"Where  is  Lawrence  Grimsby?" 

"Safe  and  well." 

"Will  you  give  him  up?" 

"No!     Sheer  off." 

At  this  moment  the  Whitewing  started  her 
sheets,  and  stood  away  from  us.  I  told  Mr.  Spelter 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       105 

to  take  in  the  balloon-jib  and  set  the  jib  and  flying- 
jib.  Under  this  sail  we  held  our  own.  The  chase 
had  come  to  the  wind  again,  and  we  continued  to 
follow  her.  I  need  not  detail  our  sea  work  for  the 
next  two  days,  during  which  time  we  kept  the 
Whitewing  in  sight.  Sometimes  we  were  near 
enough  to  distinguish  the  faces  of  those  on  deck, 
by  the  aid  of  a  glass;  and  I  had  the  satisfaction, 
two  or  three  times,  of  identifying  Larry  among 
them. 

On  the  fourth  day  out  we  had  a  gale  of  wind, 
after  a  brief  lull  of  the  fresh  breeze  which  had 
favored  us  nearly  all  the  way  from  Sandy  Hook. 
It  came  heavier  and  heavier,  and  sail  was  reduced 
on  each  yacht,  till  each  carried  only  a  close-reefed 
foresail. 

We  had  had  a  fine  run,  and  according  to  my  reck 
oning  we  were  nearly  up  with  the  Bermudas,  and 
ought  to  see  them  before  night ;  for  we  still  held 
our  course,  and  the  log  gave  us  eight  knots. 

1  'She  is  going  too  far  to  the  westward,"  said 
Spelter,  after  we  had  made  up  the  dead  reckon 
ing;  for  we  could  obtain  no  observation  that  day. 

"That's  so.  But  the  fellow  is  up  to  some  trick," 
I  replied,  uneasily;  for  I  had  studied  the  chart 


106  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

with  the  greatest  care.  "He  has  not  permitted 
us  to  follow  him  all  this  time  without  some  purpose 
in  view." 

"He  means  to  snarl  us  up  in  the  reefs  off  the 
islands." 

"Very  likely.  He  could  have  done  better  by 
running  off  before  the  wind ;  but  he  has  given  us 
our  best  point  in  sailing.  He  means  something." 

I  thought  it  probable  that  the  captain  of  the 
Whitewing  knew  his  way  through  some  of  the 
dangerous  openings  in  the  coral  reef  that  stretches 
out  to  the  northward  and  westward  of  the  Bermu 
das.  I  was  soon  assured  of  this  by  the  discovery 
of  breakers  on  the  weather  bow.  The  Blanche 
was  half  a  mile  or  more  to  the  leeward  of  the 
chase.  Suddenly  the  Whitewing  tacked,  pitching 
tremendously  in  the  sea,  and  stood  directly  to 
wards  the  reef.  In  a  few  moments  she  tacked 
again.  I  watched  her  with  the  most  intense  inter 
est,  for  I  feared  that  her  captain  had  outwitted 
me,  and  intended  to  run  across  the  water  enclosed 
by  the  reef,  and  come  out  through  some  passage 
known  to  him  on  the  other  side.  I  told  Spelter  to 
come  about,  but  I  dared  not  think  of  following  the 
chase  through  the  reef. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       107 

Suddenly  our  men  forward  gave  a  tremendous 
yell ;  and  I  saw  the  White  wing  with  her  bow  up  in 
the  air  and  her  stern  down,  so  that  the  sea  flooded 
it  at  every  swell. 

"She  has  struck  on  the  rocks!"  shouted  But 
ters. 

The  captain  of  the  Whitewing  seemed  to  be 
caught  in  his  own  trap. 


108  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN     WHICH     PHIL     BOARDS      THE      WRECK     OF     THE 
WHITEWING. 

OF  course  I  was  very  much  startled  by  the 
calamity  which  had  befallen  the  Whitewing, 
and  greatly  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  Larry.  As  I 
had  seen  him  on  the  deck  of  the  chase,  I  was  satis 
fied  that  he  was  not  confined  below.  His  chances 
of  saving  himself  were  therefore  quite  as  good  as 
those  of  the  others  on  board,  if  he  had  fair  play; 
but  the  occasion  looked  to  rne  like  the  demon's  op 
portunity. 

The  gale  had  evidently  passed  its  height,  and 
was  now  subsiding,  though  it  was  still  fierce 
enough.  The  Blanche  had  behaved  remarkably 
well,  much  better  than  her  English  rival.  The 
Whitewing  made  no  attempt  to  elude  us  in  the 
darkness,  and  jifter  the  first  trial  of  speed,  did  not 
crowd  on  sail  to  escape.  Indeed,  she  went  along 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      109 

without  seeming  to  care  that  she  was  followed,  or 
to  realize  that  the  Blanche  had  the  advantage  of 
her.  This  induced  me  to  believe  that  Miles  had 
some  deeper  purpose  than  was  yet  apparent. 

As  soon  as  it  seemed  certain  to  me  that  the 
chase  would  lead  us  to  the  Bermudas,  I  had 
carefully  studied  the  enlarged  chart  of  these  is 
lands.  The  wrind  was  south-west,  and  our  course 
was  south-east.  I  had  caused  a  sharp  lookout  to 
be  kept  for  breakers  on  the  weather  bow ;  not,  of 
course,  that  there  was  any  danger  from  them,  but 
in  order  to  ascertain  our  position.  The  Blanche 
had  kept  about  half  a  mile  to  the  leeward  of  the 
White  wing.  The  sea  was  so  stirred  up  by  the 
gale  that  we  could  hardly  have  distinguished 
breakers  at  that  distance,  if  there  had  been  any. 

On  the  chart  I  readily  found  the  opening  in  the 
reef,  through  which  the  chase  had  attempted  to 
pass,  and  I  identified  it  by  a  breaker  laid  down  just 
to  the  south  of  it,  which  appeared  only  at  low  wa 
ter.  I  consulted  my  tide  tables,  and  fully  satisfied 
myself  in  regard  to  our  position.  The  passage 
was  a  most  perilous  one  at  any  time,  but  the  cap 
tain  of  the  White  wing  had  attempted  it  with  a 
head  wind,  blowing  a  gale,  at  dead  low  tide.  I 


110  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

could  hardly  escape  the  conclusion  that  he  had  in 
tended  to  wreck  his  vessel ;  for  certainly  he  had 
not  more  than  one  chance  in  ten  of  going  through 
in  safety.  But  my  first  solution  of  the  problem 
was  more  satisfactory,  after  a  careful  examination 
of  the  chart  —  that  the  captain  of  the  chase  in 
tended  to  dodge  through  this  opening  in  the  reef, 
where  I  should  not  dare  to  follow  him,  and,  cross 
ing  the  water  enclosed  by  the  perilous  reef, —  a  dis 
tance  of  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles, —  pass  out  on 
the  west  side.  Doubtless  at  high  water,  and  un 
der  favorable  circumstances,  he  could  have  safely 
accomplished  his  purpose. 

"Who  is  the  captain  of  the  Whitewing,  Os- 
borne?"  I  asked,  while  I  was  looking  over  the 
chart  in  the  cabin. 

" Captain  Garboard;  at  least,  he  was,  the  last  I 
knew  of  her,"  replied  he. 

"Does  he  know  these  islands?" 

"Perfectly." 

"Not  so  perfectly  as  he  might,  or  he  would  not 
have  attempted  that  passage  in  this  weather." 

"He  was  in  the  navy,  and  served  as  a  pilot 
on  this  station.  He  ought  to  know  all  these  chan 
nels." 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      Ill 

"Then  he  has  run  his  vessel  upon  the  reef  on 
purpose,"  I  replied,  hastening  on  deck  again. 

The  Blanche  was  approaching  the  scene  of  the 
calamity,  going  as  close  to  the  wind  as  she  could 
under  a  double-reefed  foresail ;  but  our  progress 
was  very  slow. 

4 'What  do  you  think  of  her,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I 
asked,  anxiously. 

"She  is  in  a  bad  way,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  that 
is  the  end  of  her.  She  must  have  stove  a  hole  in 
her  bottom,  and  she  seems  to  be  bumping  heavily 
on  the  reef.  I  see  they  are  trying  to  work  her  off. 
There  she  bumps  again!" 

"They  are  clearing  away  a  boat,"  I  added. 

I  watched  them  with  interest,  as  the  seamen  of 
the  Whitewing  lowered  the  boat  into  the  water. 
It  hung  at  the  davits  on  the  weather  side.  A  wave 
came  up  under  it,  and  tossed  it  across  the  quarter 
deck  of  the  vessel.  I  thought  I  could  hear  the 
crash  of  planks  as  it  struck  the  rail ;  but  whether  I 
did  or  not,  the  boat  was  stove.  Another  sea  swept 
it  away,  for  it  was  no  longer  worth  retaining. 

Ours  were  both  life-boats,  built  of  iron.  Four 
men  had  already  been  detailed  to  pull  one  of  them. 
They  were  the  ablest  and  best  seamen  on  board, 


112  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OB 

and  I  had  the  fullest  confidence  in  them.  I  had 
decided  to  go  with  them  myself,  and  to  take  the 
mate  with  me,  for  other  questions  than  those 
relating  to  seamanship  were  liable  to  come  up  for 
settlement. 

"I  think  we  had  better  not  go  any  nearer, " 
said  Spelter. 

" Heave  her  to,  then,"  I  replied. 

The  fore-sheet  was  hauled  down  till  the  double- 
reefed  foresail  was  as  flat  as  we  could  make  it. 
Butters  was  placed  at  the  helm,  for  he  was  the 
most  experienced  hand. 

" Clear  away  the  starboard  quarter  boat!"  I 
continued.  *  'Man  the  falls!  " 

When  the  life-boat  was  swung  out  on  the  davits, 
the  four  men  took  their  places  in  her.  I  took 
my  position  in  the  stern -sheets,  and  Spelter  in 

the  bow. 

i 

"Now  mind  your  eye,  Butters,"  I  shouted, 
when  we  were  all  in  our  places,  and  the  seamen 
had  their  oars  up. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir!"  responded  the  helmsman. 

"Let  her  off  a  little!" 

A  big  sea  lifted  the  yacht,  and  the  wind  heeled 
her  over. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      113 

44 Lower  away!"  I  cried  at  the  top  of  my 
lungs,  for  the  sea  made  a  tremendous  noise. 

Promptly  the  hands  at  the  falls  on  deck  lowered 
the  boat  till  it  struck  the  receding  sea  beneath. 

4 'Cast  oft  the  falls,"  I  added  to  Spelter,  and  I 
unhooked  the  one  in  the  stern. 

The  great  billow  swept  us  away  from  the  yacht, 
as  Butters  put  the  helm  down,  and  threw  her  head 
up  to  the  wind  again. 

4 'Let  fall!  Give  way  together!"  I  continued; 
and  the  seamen  dropped  their  oars  into  the  water, 
and  began  to  pull  a  steady,  strong  stroke  all  to 
gether. 

Grasping  the  tiller  ropes,  I  threw  the  boat's 
head  up  to  the  sea,  as  a  big  wave  lifted  us  up  into 
the  air.  Spelter  crawled  aft,  and  we  trimmed  the 
boat  between  us.  I  had  not  permitted  her  to  get 
into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  where  she  would  cer 
tainly  have  been  overturned;  for  a  life-boat  will 
upset  as  easily  as  any  other  craft.  The  sea 
combed  in  over  the  bow  and  stern,  and  in  a  few 
moments  all  hands  were  wet  to  the  skin,  and  the 
water  was  swashing  fore  and  aft  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat.  The  men  pulled  admirably,  and  there 
was  no  jerking  or  irregularity  in  their  movements. 
8 


114  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

Every  oar  seemed  to  do  its  part   in  keeping  the 
boat  steady. 

The  Whitewing  had  run  up  close  to  the  reef, 
and  then  tacked  to  the  southward — a  course  which 
brought  her  into  the  jaws  of  the  passage.  On  this 
tack  she  had  run  upon  the  reef,  and  consequently 
lay  with  her  head  to  the  southward,  the  wind 
raking  diagonally  across  her  deck.  As  we  came 
near  her,  I  heard  her  planking  and  timbers  snap 
ping  and  grinding  on  the  reef,  the  sea  making  a 
clean  breach  over  her  quarter-deck. 

"It's  all  over  with  her,"  said  Spelter.  "The 
bottom  is  all  knocked  out  of  her,  and  she  is  all 
afloat  inside." 

"It  was  madness  to  go  into  such  a  place  as  this 
in  a  gale  of  wind,"  I  added.  "The  worst  of  our 
job  is  yet  to  come." 

"That's  so.  If  some  of  those  fellows  don't 
lose  the  number  of  their  mess,  I  am  mistaken." 

"1  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  save  them  all." 

"I  hope  so,  too;  but  if  any  one  is  to  be  lost,  I 
hope  it  will  be  the  right  one." 

By  this  time  we  were  within  hail  of  the  people 
on  the  wreck,  who  were  all  gathered  in  the  fore 
castle,  holding  on  to  the  fore  rigging,  and  to  the 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       115 

life  line,  which  had  been  stretched  across  the 
deck. 

"Swing  out  your  main  boom! "  I  shouted. 

"That's  easier  said  than  done,"  added  Spelter. 
"The  sea  is  making  a  clean  sweep  over  her 
quarter-deck." 

"They  are  going  to  try  it,  at  any  rate.  I  think 
I  could  do  it,  if  I  were  there." 

"So  could  I;  but  those  people  seem  to  be  rather 
demoralized.  If  they  do  it  in  as  lubberly  a 
manner  as  they  attempted  to  get  their  weather 
quarter  boat  overboard,  they  won't  succeed." 

"Lay  on  your  oars,  men!  Pull  steady,  and 
keep  her  head  up  to  it,"  I  called  to  the  oarsmen. 

"There  he  goes,"  said  the  mate,  as  one  of  the 
seamen  on  the  deck  of  the  Whitewing,  taking 
advantage  of  a  lull  in  the  sea,  rushed  aft,  carrying 
a  rope  in  his  hand. 

Passing  it  outside  of  the  lee  main  shrouds,  he 
reached  the  main  sheet,  just  as  another  sea  swept 
over  the  stern  of  the  vessel.  Fortunately  it  was 
not  so  heavy  as  many  others  had  been  and  hold 
ing  on  at  the  sheet  he  saved  himself  from  being 
washed  overboard.  In  desperate  haste,  he  made 
fast  the  end  of  the  rope  he  had  carried  aft  to  the 


116  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

boom.  He  then  cast  off  the  main  sheet,  as  an 
other  sea  boarded  the  stern ;  but  he  leaped  upon 
the  boom,  and  held  on  at  the  topping  lift,  by 
which  he  raised  himself  above  the  burden  of  the 
angry  billow. 

"Sway  away !  "  shouted  the  brave  fellow,  as  he 
raised  the  boom  by  heaving  on  the  topping  lift. 

The  hands  forward  hauled  on  the  guy  rope  he 
had  attached  to  the  boom,  while  the  seaman  over 
hauled  the  main  sheet,  so  as  to  permit  it  to  run  out. 
He  maintained  his  place  on  the  spar,  and  in  a  few 
moments  was  out  of  the  reach  of  the  seas  that 
swept  over  the  stern.  It  was  exceedingly  well 
done  on  his  part. 

"Now  give  way,  my  men,"  I  continued,  when 
the  boom  was  swayed  out  so  that  it  was  in  range 
with  the  direction  of  the  wind. 

In  a  few  moments  our  boat  was  under  the  lee  of 
the  White  wing's  stern,  which  to  a  considerable 
extent  broke  the  force  of  the  heavy  seas.  The 
bow  was  run  up  under  the  boom.  The  man  on  this 
spar  had  hauled  out  the  end  of  the  sheet,  and 
having  secured  the  boom  where  it  was,  so  that  it 
could  not  swing  forward  or  aft,  he  dropped  the 
rope  into  the  boat,  where  it  was  secured  by  our 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       117 

bowman,  and  the  brave  fellow  above  was  the  first 
to  descend. 

"God  bless  you  for  what  you  have  done!*'  ex 
claimed  he. 

"What  is  the  condition  of  your  vessel?"  I 
asked. 

"Full  of  water,  sir." 

"Where  is  Lawrence  Grimsby?" 

"Who?" 

"The  passenger,  I  mean." 

"Indeed,  sir,  I  fear  he  is  lost,  sir." 

"Lost! "  I  cried,  aghast  at  this  answer. 

"He  was  not  among  the  rest  of  the  people.  I 
think  he  was  in  the  cabin,  sir,"  replied  the  sailor. 

"Avast  there !"  I  yelled,  as  loud  as  I  could 
speak,  when  I  saw  some  of  the  people  of  the 
White  wing  mounting  the  boom,  Miles  Grimsby 
among  the  number.  "I  want  Lawrence  Grimsby 
first." 

"He  is  lost!  "  shouted  the  captain  of  the  White- 
wing. 

"Can  it  be  possible?" 

"The  cabin  is  full  of  water,  sir,"  replied  the 
English  seaman. 

I   was    maddened  at  the   thought.     Springing 


118  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

forward,  I  grasped  the  sheet,  and  climbed  upon  the 
boom. 

"Cast  off,  and  go  astern  a  little,  Mr.  Spelter," 
I  called  to  the  mate.  "Don't  take  in  a  single  one 
till  I  give  the  order." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir." 

I  crawled  on  the  boom  down  to  the  mainmast, 
and  leaped  upon  the  deck. 

"Where  is  Lawrence  Grimsby?"  I  demanded 
above  the  howl  of  the  storm,  as  I  confronted  Miles. 

"Eeally,  I  don't  know,"  replied  Miles,  his  teeth 
chattering  with  terror. 

"I  haven't  seen  him  since  we  struck,"  added 
Captain  Garboard. 

"He  was  in  the  cabin,"  muttered  Miles. 

"Did  you  mean  to  drown  him,"  I  cried,  hardly 
able  to  keep  my  hands  off  the  villain's  throat. 

"No,  no!"  pleaded  Miles.  "I  meant  him  no 
harm." 

"Where  is  he?" 

"He  was  in  the  cabin." 

"And  the  cabin  is  under  water!"  I  gasped. 
"Where  was  his  room?" 

"On  the  starboard  side." 

This  answer,  if  it  was  correct;  made  the  matter 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       119 

more  hopeful.  I  ordered  the  captain,  in  the  most 
peremptory  tone,  to  conduct  me  to  the  cabin. 

"Not  a  man  shall  be  saved,  if  he  is  lost!  "I 
added. 

"I  think  he  is  safe,"  replied  Captain  Garboard. 
"I  didn't  think  anything  about  him  after  we 
struck,  for  then  it  was  every  man  for  himself." 

He  led  me  into  the  forecastle,  and  then  through 
various  rooms,  till  we  came  to  a  passage  by  which 
the  cabin  was  reached.  The  water  was  three  feet 
deep  amidships,  but  as  the  vessel  was  heeled  over 
to  port,  her  starboard  side  was  not  so  low  in  the 
water. 

"Help!  help !"  shouted  Larry. 

"He  has  that  room  on  the  starboard  side,"  said 
the  captain. 

The  key  was  in  the  door,  and  the  door  was 
locked.  I  turned  it,  and  found  my  friend  up  to 
his  knees  in  the  water,  holding  on  at  his  berth.  I 
folded  him  in  my  arms  and  wept  with  joy. 

"I  didn't  think  I  should  ever  see  you  again, 
old  fellow,"  said  he. 

"Come  with  me,  but  be  careful,"  I  added,  lead 
ing  him  by  the  hand  through  the  water,  to  the 
forecastle. 


120  SEA   AND   SHORE,   CB 

We  ascended  to  the  deck,  where  Miles  was 
waiting  in  terror  and  anxiety  for  our  appearance . 
I  took  no  notice  of  him,  but  conducted  Larry  to 
the  boom,  where  I  bade  him  follow  me.  As  the 
sail  was  secured  on  the  spar,  the  passage  was  not 
very  difficult,  though  we  were  drenched  with 
spray.  As  soon  as  Spelter  saw  me  the  boat  came 
up  to  the  boom,  and  was  made  fast  by  the  rope. 
I  assisted  Larry  to  descend,  and  rejoiced  when  I 
saw  him  safely  in  the  boat.  I  followed  him,  but 
the  moment  I  was  in  the  boat,  I  cast  off  the  rope. 

"Pull,  port!  back,  starboard!"  I  shouted. 

The  boat  came  about  very  well  under  the  lee  of 
the  wreck,  and  the  movement  was  followed  by  a 
howl  of  dismay  from  those  on  the  Whitewing. 

"Save  me !  save  me ! "  yelled  Miles  Grimsby,  in 
the  most  abject  terror,  from  the  boom  on  which  he 
had  perched  himself. 

"Be  patient!"  I  replied. 

"Surely  you  will  not  let  our  people  perish,"  in 
terposed  the  English  sailor  in  the  boat. 

"No  j  but  I  will  not  expose  my  friend  whom  that 
miscreant  would  have  murdered,  to  any  risk,  if  I 
can  help  it.  The  boat  shall  return  at  once,"  I 
replied. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       121 

I  was  afraid  the  people  on  the  wreck  would 
crowd  the  boat  so  as  to  endanger  her  safety,  and  I 
was  determined  to  make  sure  of  Larry  before  I  at 
tempted  to  save  those  who  had  kidnapped  him. 
The  Blanche  had  fore-reached  so  that  she  had 
diminished  the  distance  between  herself  and  the 
wreck  one  half.  We  ran  under  her  stern,  and 
Larry,  the  Engish  sailor  and  myself,  climbed  on 
board  by  a  rope  dropped  from  the  main  boom.  I 
directed  Spelter  to  return  to  the  wreck,  and  bring 
off  as  many  as  he  could  safely  of  her  crew. 


122  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  TAKES  MILES  GRIMSBY  AND  OTHERS 
ON  BOARD    THE  BLANCHE. 

AS  the  gale  was  blowing  less  fiercely  now, 
I  brought  the  Blanche  over  on  the  other 
tack,  and  lowered  the  port  quarter  boat  into  the 
water,  with  another  crew  under  Butters  to  assist 
in  bringing  off  the  people  of  the  Whitewing.  I 
was  delighted  with  the  working  of  our  boats,  for 
they  had  been  purchased  at  my  suggestion.  I  did 
not  like  the  light  and  frail  structures,  which  an 
swered  very  well  for  ordinary  yachting,  and  they 
had  been  discarded.  I  could  not  help  thinking 
that  the  present  safety  of  our  owner  was  in  some 
measure  due  to  the  excellent  character  of  our 
boats,  for  the  cockle  shells  we  had  left  in  New 
York,  in  which  two  men  pulled  four  oars  double- 
handed,  could  not  have  been  very  serviceable  in 
the  raging  sea  that  now  prevailed.  The  port  quar- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       123 

ter  boat  behaved  quite  as  well  as  the  other,  under 
the  skilful  management  of  Butters ;  and  I  could 
see  no  reason  "vvhy  every  man  on  the  wreck  should 
not  be  saved. 

But  all  this  time  I  was  nursing  my  indignation 
against  Miles  Grimsby  and  the  officers  of  the 
Whitewing  for  their  infamous  conduct  towards 
Larry.  Miles  had  been  utterly  treacherous,  and 
I  had  lost  all  hope  of  any  reconciliation  between 
the  cousins,  if  I  had  ever  cherished  any.  While 
I  was  considering  the  subject,  and  trying  to  feel 
like  a  Christian  towards  our  enemy,  Larry,  who 
had  gone  below  to  obtain  dry  clothing,  came  on 
deck.  I  had  hardly  spoken  a  word  with  him  yet 
about  the  events  which  had  transpired  since  we 
parted  in  New  York  Bay.  It  was  enough  for  the 
present  that  he  was  safe ;  and  I  was  determined 
that  he  should  not  again  trust  himself,  even  for  an 
instant,  in  the  hands  of  his  wicked  cousin. 

"I  hope  you  are  doing  all  you  can  to  save  the 
people  of  the  Whitewing,  Phil,"  said  he. 

"I  am;  but  I  am  willing  to  own  that  I  haven't 
much  heart  in  the  job,"  I  replied. 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  Miles  has  been  so  infamously  treach- 


124  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

erous  to  you.  Why,  the  wretch  locked  you  up 
in  your  room  so  that  you  might  perish  there,  like 
a  felon  in  his  cell. ' ' 

"You  are  a  little  too  fast,  Phil.  He  didn't  do 
that.  But  suppose  he  had  done  it,  and  suppose 
I  had  been  drowned  when  the  yacht  first  struck; 
would  it  have  been  any  the  less  your  duty  to  save 
Miles  and  the  crew  of  the  White  wing  ?  Will  you 
answer  this  conundrum?" 

"Of  course  it  would  have  been  my  duty  to  save 
all  the  survivors;  but  I  should  not  have  relished 
the  undertaking  half  so  well  as  if  they  were 
honest  men." 

"Perhaps  not.  I  have  been  more  afraid  of  los 
ing  my  soul  than  of  losing  my  body.  I  have  been 
locked  up  in  that  state-room  for  two  days.  The 
only  book  I  had  was  the  Bible,  for  I  found  one 
in  the  room,  placed  there  by  a  Bible  Society,  as  I 
learned  by  the  inscription  on  the  cover.  When 
we  get  to  London,  I'm  going  to  give  a  thousand 
pounds  to  that  Society,  for  those  two  days  with  the 
Bible  did  me  more  good  than  all  the  reading  I 
ever  did  before  in  my  life." 

"But  we  have  read  the  Bible  a  great  deal  to 
gether." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       125 

"I  know  that.  But  you  see,  Phil,  it  was  the 
peculiar  circumstances  that  forced  its  blessed 
truths  right  home  to  my  conscience  and  to  my 
heart.  In  London,  Liverpool,  and  elsewhere,  I 
have  seen  these  same  Bibles  in  the  rooms  of  the 
hotels,  and  have  even  read  them;  but  I  was  not 
exactly  in  the  mood  to  be  influenced  by  the  teach 
ings  of  the  book,  as  I  have  been  for  the  last  two 
days.  I  used  to  think  it  was  all  nonsense  to  put 
the  Bible  in  steamboats,  hotels,  and  other  public 
places,  for  my  observation  was,  that  no  one  ever 
looked  into  them,  unless  it  were  pious  people,  who 
always  carried  it  with  them.  But  if  one  in  ten 
thousand  of  those  distributed  affords  as  much  com 
fort  and  consolation  to  a  single  reader  as  mine  did 
to  me,  it  is  a  splendid  interest  on  the  investment." 
I  was  astonished  at  the  remarks  of  my  friend  at 
such  a  time ;  and  I  confess  that  they  moderated  my 
indignation  towards  Miles  and  his  companions. 
But  I  had  no  time  to  consider  his  views  then,  for 
Mr.  Spelter's  boat  was  approaching,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  get  the  Blanche  in  position  for  taking 
her  passengers  on  board.  In  the  stern-sheets  sat 
Miles  Grimsby,  holding  on  with  both  hands  like  a 
frightened  child.  The  boat  came  up  under  the 


126  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

stern  of  the  yacht,  and  the  bow-man  seized  the 
rope  which  was  thrown  to  him.  The  English  sail 
ors  came  up  without  difficulty,  but  Miles  was 
clumsy  and  unskilful.  After  the  first  trial  he 
dropped  down  into  the  boat,  unable  to  climb  up 
the  rope  to  the  main  boom. 

"Up  with  you,"  shouted  Mr.  Spelter,  savagely. 
"  Don't  keep  us  waiting  here  all  day." 

"Not  a  word,  Mr.  Spelter!"  Larry  interposed, 
warmly.  "Don't  you  see  he  can't  climb  that 
rope?" 

"Then  let  him  go  overboard,  and  be  hanged  to 
him,"  responded  the  indignant  mate. 

"Save  me!  save  me!"  moaned  Miles,  terrified 
still  more  by  the  harsh  words  of  the  mate. 

"If  you  let  him  go  overboard,  Mr.  Spelter, 
I'll  discharge  you,"  cried  Larry.  "Come,  Phil, 
what  is  to  be  done  ?  We  must  get  Miles  on  board, 
if  we  don't  anybody  else." 

"All  right;  we  can  get  him  on  board  easily 
enough,"  I  replied. 

I  sent  a  hand  out  on  the  boom  with  a  snatch- 
block,  which  I  directed  him  to  make  fast  to  the 
topping-lift.  A  rope  was  passed  through  this 
block,  and  one  end  lowered  into  the  boat,  the 
other  end  leading  to  the  quarter-deck. 


!  ' '    >,  f ' : 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       127 

"Make  a  sling  in  the  rope,  Mr.  Spelter,"  1 
called  to  the  mate;  "see  that  everything  is  secure, 
and  get  him  into  it." 

The  mate  quickly  obeyed  my  order,  and  in  a 
moment  Miles  was  seated  hi  the  sling,  holding  on 
at  the  rope  with  his  hands. 

"Now,  walk  away,"  I  added  to  the  men  on  the 
quarter-deck  who  had  been  stationed  at  the  rope. 
"Steady!  Don't  hurry." 

I  went  out  on  the  boom  myself,  and  swayed  off 
the  rope,  so  that  Miles  might  not  be  jammed  on 
the  spar,  and  in  a  moment  he  was  hauled  up  to 
the  topping-lift. 

"Lower  away,"  I  continued,  taking  the  feet  of 
Miles  and  separating  them,  so  that  he  came  down 
astride  of  the  boom.  "Now  work  yourself  in 
board,  Mr.  Grimsby." 

I  kept  behind  him,  and  held  him  so  that  the 
violent  motion  of  the  Blanche  should  not  unseat 
him,  and  he  hitched  slowly  along  till  Larry 
grasped  him  by  the  hands  and  assisted  him  to 
the  deck. 

"Give  me  your  hand,  Miles,"  said  my  friend,  as 
he  grasped  that  of  his  trembling  cousin.  "I  con 
gratulate  you  on  your  safety. 


o 

5  > 


128  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OB 

But  Miles  could  not  speak.  He  was  drenched 
to  the  skin,  and  shaking  with  cold  as  well  as 
with  fright. 

"Come  into  the  cabin,  Miles,  and  we  will  soon 
make  you  comfortable,"  continued  Larry,  taking 
Miles  by  the  arm  and  conducting  him  as  tenderly 
as  though  he  had  been  his  best  friend,  instead  of 
his  most  bitter  enemy,  to  the  companion-way. 
They  disappeared  in  the  cabin;  but  I  heard  Larry 
calling  for  the  cook  and  the  cabin  steward,  who 
were  on  deck  rendering  what  help  they  could. 
Mr.  Spelter  went  off  to  the  wreck  again,  and  he 
had  hardly  left  before  the  other  boat  came  up 
under  the  boom.  In  another  hour  every  one  of 
the  people  on  board  of  the  Whi tewing  was  safe. 
Captain  Garboard  came  in  the  last  boat.  The 
mainmast  of  the  wrecked  vessel  had  gone  by  the 
board,  the  stepping  having  been  ground  away  by 
the  motion  of  the  hull  on  the  reef.  It  tore  up  the 
deck  as  it  fell,  and  I  was  satisfied  that  in  a  few 
hours  more  there  would  be  nothing  left  of  the 
White  wing.  Our  boats  were  hoisted  up,  and  I 
directed  Cheeseman  to  fill  away  on  our  course 
again. 

I  invited  Captain  Garboard  into  the  cabin,  and 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       129 

all  the  rest  of  the  White  wing's  crew  had  gone  to 
the  forecastle.  Going  below  myself,  I  found  that 
Larry  had  clothed  Miles  in  a  dry  suit  of  his  own, 
and  had  actually  installed  him  in  his  own  state 
room.  The  steward  was  just  bringing  in  hot  coffee 
and  other  refreshments. 

"I  hope  you  feel  comfortable  now,  Miles,"  said 
Larry. 

"Better,"  replied  Miles. 

"Now  take  a  cup  of  coffee ;  it  will  warm  you." 

"Thanks,"  muttered  the  guest. 

"You  will  join  us,  Captain  Garboard,"  added 
Larry.  "But  you  must  have  dry  clothes  first." 

"But  I  don't  happen  to  have  any.  I  have  lost 
every  stitch  I  had,"  answered  Captain  Garboard, 
gloomily.  "It  makes  no  difference  to  me.  I  am 
used  up  for  this  world." 

"Not  quite.  But  you  shall  be  made  comfort 
able  while  you  are  on  board  of  the  Blanche," 
added  Larry. 

Osborne,  who  was  about  the  size  of  the  Captain, 
offered  a  suit  for  his  use,  and,  retiring  to  my 
room,  he  put  it  on.  The  steward  brought  in  for 
the  table  the  best  the  yacht  afforded,  and  Larry 
dispensed  his  hospitality  with  the  most  liberal 
9 


130  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

hand.  He  was  gentle  and  assiduous  in  his  efforts 
to  make  his  guests  at  home;  but  both  of  them 
were  sullen  and  silent.  I  could  not  see  that  his 
extraordinary  zeal  and  kindness  had  any  effect 
upon  Miles,  though  he  often  expressed  his  thanks 
in  a  single  word.  I  had  looked  in  vain  for  any 
signs  of  recognition  when  Osborne  met  Miles,  but 
of  course  both  of  them  were  too  cunning  to  betray 
their  own  treachery. 

The  scene  of  the  wreck  of  the  White  wing  was 
within  a  few  miles  of  St.  George,  the  most  north 
ern  of  the  Bermudas;  but  the  weather  was  so 
thick  to  windward  that  we  could  not  see  it.  As 
it  was  now  nearly  night,  I  decided  to  stand  off  till 
morning,  and  then,  if  the  weather  was  suitable, 
to  go  into  St.  George's  harbor.  The  gale  was  sub 
siding,  and  the  wind  hauling  to  the  northward. 
As  we  were  under  the  lee  of  the  islands,  the  sea 
was  tolerably  smooth.  We  had  taken  in  the  fore 
sail,  and  were  now  under  jib  and  reefed  mainsail. 
The  yacht  was  crowded  by  the  addition  of  the  crew 
of  the  wrecked  yacht;  but  our  men  gave  up  their 
berths  to  the  Englishmen  without  an  exception; 
and  those  who  could  not  have  berths  were  accom 
modated  on  the  divans  and  the  floor  of  the  cabin. 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       131 

After  supper,  Miles  complained  of  not  feeling 
well,  and  wished  to  retire;  but  I  was  satisfied  that 
this  was  only  an  excuse  to  get  rid  of  the  company 
of  his  cousin,  whose  kindness,  instead  of  touch 
ing  his  heart,  seemed  to  disgust  him.  Captain 
Garboard  was  silent  and  moody,  though  I  could 
not  help  talking  to  him;  and  I  finally  unsealed 
his  lips,  so  that  he  was  willing  to  speak  of  the 
disaster  which  had  destroyed  his  vessel. 

"That  was  a  dangerous  passage  through  which 
you  attempted  to  pass,"  I  began,  as  we  were  all 
seated  in  the  cabin. 

"Yes." 

"And  you  did  not  choose  the  most  favorable 
time  for  attempting  it,"  I  added. 

"No." 

"Was  it  your  own  or  Mr.  Grimsby's  plan  to  go 
through  the  passage?" 

"My  own." 

"I  suppose  you  intended  to  get  away  from  us 
by  that  course." 

"Yes." 

"It  was  an  unfortunate  move  for  you,"  I  per 
sisted. 

"Yes,  very." 


132  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"But  I  should  have  followed  you  through,  if 
the  weather  had  been  suitable." 

"Then  you  would  have  been  where  we  are 
now,"  replied  Captain  Garboard,  rather  sharply. 

"Well,  that  is  precisely  what  you  desired,  I 
suppose." 

"No,  not  that.  If  you  mean  to  say  that  I  am 
just  as  big  a  villain  as" — he  pointed  to  Larry's 
state-room,  in  which  Miles  had  turned  in — "you 
are  right.  I  am.  I  am  properly  served  out  for 
what  1  have  done." 

"But  what  was  your  object  in  going  through 
that  dangerous  passage,"  I  asked. 

"Simply  to  shake  you  off;  nothing  more,  upon 
my  conscience.  Perhaps  I  am  not  so  bad  a  man 
as  you  think  I  am." 

"I  hope  not,"  I  answered,  candidly.  "But  did 
you  not  expect  me  to  follow  you." 

"No.  I  knew  you  could  not  be  so  reckless. 
I  intended  to  make  a  harbor  inside  the  reef,  after 
I  had  shaken  you  off,  and  run  out  on  the  other 
side  when  the  weather  favored.  I  have  been  a 
pilot  among  these  islands,  and  know  every  channel 
and  rock." 

"But  you  certainly  mistook  the  channel  through 
which  you  attempted  to  pass." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      133 

4 'No,  I  did  not.  It  was  the  vessel's  fault,  not 
mine.  She  didn't  work  well  under  her  close- 
reefed  foresail,  and  when  we  went  in  stays,  she 
wouldn't  come  about,  but  jammed  her  head  right 
on  the  reef.  I  have  been  through  that  passage  in 
a  schooner  several  times  under  precisely  the  same 
circumstances;  and  if  we  hadn't  been  serving  the 
devil,  instead  of  a  Higher  Power,  I  should  have 
taken  her  through  all  right  this  time,"  he  added, 
dropping  his  voice  to  a  low  tone. 

"You  seem  to  have  a  proper  appreciation  of  the 
work  in  which  you  were  engaged,  Captain  Gar- 
board,"  I  replied. 

"I  have;  and  I  understood  it  just  as  well  before 
as  I  do  now." 

"Why  did  you  do  it,  then?" 

"What  could  I  do?  I  am  a  poor  man,  depen 
dent  upon  my  situation  for  the  support  of  my 
family.  I  could  only  do  what  my  owner  bade  me, 
or  leave  his  employment.  I  don't  often  obtain  a 
winter  job." 

"I  suppose  you  know  Mr.  Osborne,  here,"  I 
added,  indifferently. 

He  glanced  at  our  late  second  mate,  but  seemed 
to  be  in  doubt  about  answering  the  question. 


134  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"I  told  you  I  had  seen  him  at  Cowes,"  said 
Osborne. 

"Half  the  truth's  a  lie,"  added  Captain  Gar- 
board.  "He  was  the  first  mate  of  the  White- 
wing,  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  her." 

"I  hadn't  much  doubt  about  that,"  I  replied. 
"But  he  betrayed  himself  before  we  were  six  hours 
out  of  New  Y  ork. ' ' 

For  the  benefit  of  Larry  and  the  English  captain 
I  repeated  the  story  of  the  tub.  Osborne  did  not 
resent  the  exposure,  probably  feeling  that  he  was 
already  convicted. 

"I  suppose  you  knew  Osborne  when  he  drank 
too  much,"  I  continued. 

"I  never  heard  that  he  was  an  intemperate 
man,"  replied  Captain  Garboard. 

"Because  I  never  was,"  added  Osborne.  "I 
can  wipe  that  stain  out  of  my  character,  if  I  can't 
the  other.  But,  like  the  captain,  I  had  to  obey 
the  orders  of  the  owner,  and  I  don't  often  get  a 
winter  job." 

"That's  a  poor  excuse,  I  think.  A  man  had 
better  go  to  the  workhouse  than  sacrifice  his  honor 
and  integrity,"  I  observed. 

"True.    I  believe  it  now,  if  I  never  did  before." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       135 

"But  the  gravest  charge  that  can  be  brought 
against  you  is  the  locking  up  of  Mr.  Lawrence 
Griinsby  in  his  state-room,  where — " 

'  'Avast  there,  Phil.  Just  clap  a  stopper  on  the 
foreto'-bobbin,"  interposed  Larry.  "I  have  told 
you  I  was  in  that  state-room  for  two  days,  and 
therefore  I  couldn't  have  been  locked  in  for  such 
an  occasion  as  the  wreck  of  the  Whitewing. 
Don't  make  it  any  worse  than  it  is." 

"It's  bad  enough,  any  way." 

"So  much  the  more  reason  for  not  making  it 
any  worse.  In  due  time  I  will  tell  my  own 
story,"  added  Larry. 

"S.uppose  you  begin  now,"  I  suggested. 

"All  right.  Here  goes.  When  I  left  you  in 
New  York  harbor,  Miles  seemed  to  be  very  pli 
able, 'and  I  had  high  hopes — " 

"Sail,  ho!"  shouted  Mr.  Spelter,  opening  the 
cabin  door.  "There's  a  schooner  on  our  lee  bow, 
Captain  Farringford.  She  has  just  fired  a  gun; 
there  goes  another.  She  seems  to  be  in  distress." 

"Run  down  to  her,"  I  replied,  hastening  on 
deck,  followed  by  all  in  the  cabin. 


136  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 


CHAPTEE  X. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  RELIEVES  THE  HERMIA,  AND  LISTENS 


""TTTHAT  do  you  make  of  her,  Mr.  Spelter?" 
T  T  I  asked,  as  I  joined  the  mate  on  deck. 

"The  guns  indicate  that  she  is  in  distress;  but 
she  seems  to  be  well  up  in  the  water,  and  works 
very  well,"  replied  the  mate. 

The  clouds  had  rolled  away,  and  the  sky  was 
clear  now.  It  was  not  very  dark,  and  we  could 
make  out  the  schooner's  appearance  quite  dis 
tinctly  as  we  approached  nearer. 

"She  is  no  merchant  vessel,"  said  Spelter. 
"She  is  a  trim-built  craft,  and  trimly-rigged." 

"I  think  she  is  a  yacht,"  added  Captain  Gar- 
board. 

"That's  my  idea,"  responded  the  mate. 

"Two  English  yachts  that  I  know  of  sailed  for 
the  West  Indies  in  October,  their  owners  intend- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      137 

ing  to  winter  among  the  islands.  I  think  this 
vessel  is  one  of  them,  for  she  looks  like  an  Eng 
lish-rigged  yacht,"  continued  Captain  Garboard. 
"One  of  them  was  the  Hermia,  belonging  to  Mr. 
Fitzgerald,  and  the  other  was  the  Japonica,  owned 
by  Mr.  Golding." 

We  ran  under  the  stern  of  the  stranger,  and 
came  up  into  the  wind,  as  she  had  done  before. 
There  was  no  appearance  of  anything  wrong  about 
her,  for  she  had  not  lost  a  spar,  and  her  jib  and 
mainsail  were  set. 

"Schooner,  ahoy !"  shouted  Mr.  Spelter. 

"Schooner,  ahoy!"  replied  some  one  from  the 
stranger. 

"What  vessel  is  that?" 

"The  Hermia,  of  Southampton,  in  distress." 

"What's  the  matter?"  demanded  Spelter. 

"We  are  short-handed,  and  want  a  navigator. 
Can  you  help  us?"  inquired  the  spokesman  of  the 
Hermia. 

"Ay,  ay!     Send  a  boat  on  board." 

"Short-handed,"  repeated  Captain  Garboard. 
"She  was  that  when  she  left  England.  She  took 
only  eight  men  besides  the  captain,  who  was  the 
only  navigator  on  board.  The  owner  was  careful 
of  his  pocket,' 


138  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OK 

The  boat  from  the  Hermia  soon  came  alongside, 
and  the  officer  who  had  come  in  her  leaped  on  our 
deck. 

"Is  that  you,  Graves?"  asked  Captain  Gar- 
board,  approaching  him. 

4  'No,  sir.    My  name  is  Finch, ' '  replied  the  man. 

"But  where  is  Captain  Graves." 

"He  was  lost  overboard  yesterday,  with  the 
mate  and  three  seamen,  in  the  hurricane." 

"Poor  Graves!"  sighed  Garboard.  "I  knew 
him  well,  and  he  was  a  good  fellow.  Is  Mr.  Fitz 
gerald  on  board?" 

"Yes,  sir.  He  is  very  anxious  and  uneasy, 
for  we  have  but  four  men  left,  besides  the  cook 
and  steward." 

"I  should  think  he  might  be,  if  he  has  no  nav 
igator  on  board,"  added  Captain  Garboard. 

"We  lost  a  man  by  sickness  in  Havana,  and  we 
sailed  for  England  one  hand  short.  Yesterday 
morning  the  wind  was  fresh  and  increasing.  We 
were  under  jib  and  reefed  mainsail,  when  it  sud 
denly  came  down  upon  us  in  a  hurricane.  We 
had  the  reefed  foresail  ready  to  set,  and  had  luffed 
up  to  get  in  the  mainsail,  when  the  wheel  got 
jammed  by  the  sail  coming  upon  it,  and  the  vessel 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       139 

fell  off  into  the  trough  of  the  sea.  Just  at  that 
moment  a  tremendous  sea  boarded  us  on  the 
quarter-deck,  and  the  captain,  mate,  and  three 
seamen  were  swept  away.  I  am  the  second  mate; 
and  I  had  hauled  down  the  jib,  and  was  getting  the 
reefed  foresail  up  at  the  time.  We  rolled  at  the 
mercy  of  the  waves  a  few  minutes,  for  I  could  do 
nothing.  When  the  wind  eased  off  I  set  the  foresail 
and  secured  the  mainsail.  I  got  her  out  of  the 
trough  of  the  sea,  but  for  four  hours  I  thought  that 
every  moment  would  be  our  last.  I  looked  about 
me  for  the  captain  and  the  others  who  had  been 
swept  overboard,  but  I  could  not  see  them.  Both 
of  our  boats  were  carried  away,  but  we  received 
no  material  damage." 

O 

"Where  was  Mr.  Fitzgerald  all  this  time?" 
asked  Captain  Garboard. 

"Shut  up  in  the  cabin,  sir,  expecting  every 
instant  to  go  to  the  bottom.  I  lashed  myself  to 
the  wheel,  or  I  should  have  gone  overboard.  I 
am  no  navigator,  sir,  and  I  haven't  the  least  idea 
where  I  am." 

"You  are  just  to  the  eastward  of  the  Bermu 
das." 

Every  person  on  board  of  the  Blanche,  except 


140  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

Miles  Grimsby,  had  come  on  deck  when  the  intel 
ligence  of  the  vessel  in  distress  was  circulated. 
Captain  Garboard  and  Osborne  both  offered  their 
services  to  navigate  the  Hermia  to  England;  and 
I  soon  ascertained  that  every  one  of  the  White^ 
wing's  crew  was  anxious  to  go  home  in  the  yacht. 
They  had  lost  their  voyage ;  and  if  I  landed  them 
at  the  Bermudas  they  might  be  obliged  to  remain 
there  for  weeks,  and  even  months,  before  they 
could  return  to  England.  It  was  therefore  a  matter 
of  the  deepest  interest  to  them,  and  they  were  very 
strenuous  in  their  demands.  It  was  finally  decided 
that  Captain  Garboard  and  Osborne  should  go  on 
board  of  the  Hermia,  and  arrange  for  the  passage 
of  the  entire  crew.  In  half  an  hour  they  returned 
with  the  intelligence  that  Mr.  Fitzgerald  agreed  to 
take  the  whole  crew  of  the  White  wing,  Garboard 
as  captain,  Osborne  as  mate,  and  the  rest  to  work 
their  passage. 

"Where  is  Mr.  Grimsby?"  asked  the  captain. 

4 'He  is  in  his  state-room  still,"  I  replied.  "He 
has  not  been  out  of  it.  Do  you  wish  to  see  him  ?" 

"No.     I  hope  I  shall  never  see  him  again." 

"But  do  you  intend  to  leave  without  saying 
good-bye  to  him?"  I  inquired. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       141 

*  'I  do.  If  your  Mr.  Grimsby  can  forgive  me  for 
the  injury  I  have  done  him,  I  shall  be  happy." 

"There's  my  hand,"  interposed  Larry.  "1 
don't  think  you  ever  had  any  ill-will  towards  me." 

"That's  the  truth,  Mr.  Grimsby,"  replied  Gar- 
board,  taking  the  offered  hand  and  shaking  it 
heartily.  "I  am  only  sorry  and  ashamed  that  I 
ever  allowed  myself  to  engage  in  my  owner 's  dirty 
work.  I  don't  excuse  myself.  I  only  ask  to  be 
forgiven  this  time." 

"Freely  I  forgive  you." 

"Thank  you,  sir.  I  never  had  the  least  heart 
in  the  business,"  said  the  captain,  as  he  went  over 
the  side  into  the  boat. 

I  ordered  one  of  our  boats  to  be  lowered  to  assist 
in  transporting  the  seamen  to  the  Hermia.  I  won 
dered  that  Miles  did  not  come  on  deck,  for  I  did 
not  believe  he  could  be  asleep  with  so  much  noise 
as  was  made  by  the  tramping  feet  on  deck  above 
him.  He  must  have  suspected  that  something 
was  going  on,  and  his  conduct  seemed  very  strange 
to  me. 

"Captain  Farringford,  we  are  one  hand  short 
now,"  said  Spelter.  "I  like  that  first  man  we 
brought  off  from  the  Whitewing,  the  one  that 
swung  out  her  main  boom." 


142  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"Ship  him  if  you  can." 

Spelter  offered  him  the  same  wages  that  our 
crew  received,  and  he  was  but  too  glad  to  accept 
the  lay,  especially  as  we  should  soon  go  to  Eng 
land.  In  half  an  hour  our  boat  was  hoisted  up 
at  the  davits,  and  the  Hermia  had  filled  away,  the 
crew  giving  us  three  cheers  as  she  did  so.  Our 
vessel  seemed  very  quiet  and  lonesome  after  the 
crowd  had  left  her.  I  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  Os- 
borne,  for  I  did  not  like  the  looks  of  him.  I  was 
afraid  he  had  a  mission  which  he  was  yet  to  exe 
cute,  and  it  was  a  relief  to  know  that  blue  water 
rolled  between  him  and  Larry.  I  believed  that 
Captain  Garboard  wished  to  be  an  honest  man, 
and,  away  from  Miles,  I  had  no  doubt  he  would 
be  so. 

Larry  and  I  went  into  the  cabin,  after  I  had 
given  the  mate  directions  for  the  night.  The 
door  of  the  state-room  occupied  by  Miles  was 
still  closed,  and  it  was  evident  he  had  not  left  it 
since  he  first  entered  it.  I  had  no  difficulty  in 
believing  that  he  would  be  thoroughly  astonished 
in  the  morning,  when  he  discovered  that  all  his 
late  companions  had  left  him. 

"It  looks  lonely  here,"  said  Larry;  "but  I  am 
not  sorry  to  get  rid  of  the  crowd." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       143 

"Nor  I.  We  are  at  home  again  now.  Isn't  it 
strange  that  Miles  don't  show  himself?  He  could 
not  have  been  asleep  through  all  this  excitement." 

*  'Probably  he  has  been.  He  carries  an  opiate  in 
his  pocket." 

"What?" 

"Brandy." 

"Does  Miles  drink?" 

"Only  after  the  day  is  over.  In  the  evening  he 
boozes  till  it  makes  him  sleepy.  He  used  to  get 
out  his  brandy  bottle  at  nine  o'clock,  and  take 
three  or  four  nippers.  Then  he  was  so  tight  he 
could  hardly  turn  in." 

"I  am  surprised." 

"I'm  not;  for  a  man  that  has  the  devil  in  one 
form  is  very  likely  to  have  him  in  half  a  dozen 
forms,"  added  Larry. 

"But  you  haven't  told  me  your  story  yet, 
Larry." 

"I  will.  Miles  was  very  pleasant  when  I  went 
on  board  the  Whitewing  off  the  battery.  I  was  in 
high  hopes  that  we  should  make  an  arrangement. 
We  had  a  nice  supper  in  his  cabin,  with  wine  and 
liquor  enough  on  the  table  to  float  the  yacht.  He 
insisted  that  I  should  drink,  begged  and  teased 


144  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

me,  and  finally  was  angry  because  I  would  not. 
He  told  me  I  couldn't  be  his  friend,  as  I  professed, 
if  I  wouldn't  drink  with  him.  A  year  ago  it  would 
have  been  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  for  me  to 
do  so.  But  I  haven't  tasted  a  drop  since  we  met 
for  the  first  time,  Phil." 

"Of  course  you  didn't  humor  him." 
"Certainly  not;  but  he  drank  enough  for  both 
of  us.  I  opened  upon  the  question  that  was 
nearest  to  my  heart,  for  my  only  desire  was  to 
make  peace  with  him,  not  particularly  because  I 
was  afraid  of  him,  but  because  brethren,  and  even 
cousins,  should  agree,  and  I  knew  that  my  grand 
father  would  be  delighted  to  have  us  friends.  I 
asked  him  squarely  what  he  wanted  of  me,  what 
I  could  do  to  satisfy  him.  He  told  me  that  nothing 
I  could  do  would  satisfy  him,  except  the  confes 
sion  that  I  was  an  impostor,  and  that  I  had  de 
ceived  Sir  Philip.  While  I  was  reasoning  with 
him  on  the  folly  of  such  a  demand,  and  assuring 
him  that  1  could  not  falsify  the  truth,  even  if  I 
wished  to  do  so,  I  heard  the  flapping  of  the  main 
sail  on  deck,  and  the  rattling  of  the  foreto '-bobbin 
forward.  Just  then  Miles  became  very  eloquent  in 
the  defence  of  his  own  right,  a^x?  \v  explanation  of 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       145 

the  injury  I  had  done  him.  I  began  to  be  suspi 
cious  that  something  was  wrong,  but  ho  would  not 
permit  me  to  interupt  him. ' ' 

6  'Did  you  know  the  vessel  was  getting  under 
way?"  I  asked. 

"I  knew  that  something  was  going  on,  but  I 
couldn't  tell  exactly  what.  You  see  I  hadn't  got 
the  hang  of  the  foreto' -bobbin.  Miles  talked  so 
fast  after  he  had  oiled  his  tongue  with  a  whole 
bottle  of  sherry,  that  I  couldn't  get  a  word  in  edge 
wise.  Among  other  things,  he  said  he  was  in  love 
with  Lady  Somebody, — I  forget  whom, — and  his 
heart  would  be  only  a  shell  to  her  without  any 
coronet  or  baronet  on  it.  Then  the  yacht  keeled 
over  a  little,  and  I  began  to  perceive  the  odor  of 
a  small  mouse." 

"Well,  what  did  you  do?"  I  asked,  much  inter 
ested. 

"I  went  to  the  cabin  door  and  found  it  locked 
on  the  outside.  Miles  stopped  talking  then,  and 
laughed.  I  went  to  the  door  by  which  the  cabin 
steward  had  brought  in  the  supper.  That  was 
locked,  and  Miles  laughed  louder  than  before. 
In  a  few  moments  I  was  fully  satisfied  that  the 
Whitewing  was  under  way.  What  could  I  do? 
10 


146  SEA   AND   SHOEE,   OR 

That  was  the  question  I  asked  myself  then.  Of 
course  I  fully  realized  I  was  the  victim  of  mis 
placed  confidence.  I  put  my  hand  on  the  revolver 
in  my  pocket,  but  somehow  I  didn't  feel  wicked, 
and  hadn't  the  slightest  inclination  to  shoot  any 
body.  I  expected  Miles  would  look  tragic,  and 
do  some  stunning  thing;  but  he  didn't.  In  .fact, 
he  only  laughed.  When  a  man  is  good-natured, 
Phil,  whatever  he  is,  I  don't  like  to  be  cross. 
I  laughed,  too;  but  Miles,  who  was  tipsy,  was 
rather  more  demonstrative  than  I  was.  He  as 
sured  me  it  was  only  a  practical  joke,  and  I  told 
him  that  I  fully  appreciated  it.  It  was  useless  for 
me  to  kick,  for  I  couldn't  hit  anything.  I  could 
have  used  up  Miles  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye; 
but  I  must  fight  the  whole  crew  in  order  to  accom 
plish  anything." 

"What  did  he  intend  to  do  with  you,  Larry?" 

"That's  more  than  I  know.' 

"Didn't  he  threaten  you,  or  indicate  in  any 
manner  what  he  intended  to  do?" 

"No;  he  never  gave  me  a  hint  of  anything.  I 
sat  down  at  the  table  with  him  again,  and  attempted 
to  talk  over  our  relations  once  more;  but  he  was 
too  tipsy  to  have  an  idea,  and  I  gave  it  up.  He 
pointed  to  a  state-room  on  the  starboard  side,  and 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       147 

wished  me  to  make  myself  entirely  at  home,  and 
to  be  as  happy  as  I  could.  Presently  the  door  of 
the  cabin  was  unlocked,  and  the  captain  came 
down. 

"  'They  are  after  us,'  said  he. 

"  'Who?'  asked  Miles,  with  a  drunken  start. 

"  'The  other  yacht.' 

"I  saw  that  you  were  not  expected  to  follow 
us,  and  that  your  movements  annoyed  Miles  and 
the  captain  very  much.  As  the  door  was  open, 
I  went  on  deck,  and,  no  one  attempted  to  restrain 
me,  or  otherwise  interfere  with  my  movements. 
I  saw  the  Blanche  after  us,  and  I  assure  you  I 
began  to  enjoy  the  race,  for  the  fact  that  you  were 
following  me  seemed  to  drive  from  my  mind  any 
suspicion  of  personal  peril.  At  one  time  we 
gained  very  rapidly  on  the  Blanche." 

"That  was  when  Osborne  put  out  the  drag,"! 
added,  explaining  the  trick. 

"If  the  Blanche  was  not  expected  to  follow, 
I  don't  see  why  Osborne  was  sent  on  board  of 
her." 

"Probably  to  provide  against  emergencies,"  I 
suggested. 

"You   know  all   about  the   voyage  as  well  as 


148  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

I  do.  Miles  was  rather  morose  the  next  morning^ 
for  the  Blanche  was  overhauling  him  very  rapidly. 
He  and  the  captain  had  a  long  talk,  after  which  he 
seemed  to  feel  better.  I  kept  good-natured  all  the 
time,  and  made  some  very  bad  jokes.  When 
Miles  got  tipsy  the  next  night,  I  had  a  talk  with 
Captain  Garboard,  and  tried  to  find  out  what  they 
intended  to  do  with  me.  I  did  not  succeed.  I 
began  to  be  a  little  impatient  under  this  kind  of  a 
life,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  that  when  the  Blanche 
again  came  as  near  the  White  wing  as  she  had 
several  times,  I  would  jump  overboard,  and  let  you 
pick  me  up.  I  put  a  piece  of  plank  in  a  conven 
ient  place  to  use  in  the  water.  You  came  quite 
near,  and  I  was  on  the  point  of  leaping  into  the  sea 
with  my  plank,  when  Captain  Ga'rboard  laid  his 
flat  paw  on  my  shoulder.  He  assured  me  I  should 
certainly  be  drowned,  and  that  he  had  seen  the  fin 
of  a  big  shark  that  morning.  I  don't  think  he 
would  have  interfered  if  he  had  not  been  afraid  I 
should  be  drowned  or  gnawed  by  a  shark.  I  gave 
it  up,  and  went  below.  After  dinner  I  went  into 
my  state-room  to  take  a  nap.  When  I  awoke,  the 
door  was  locked.  Of  course  the  captain  had  told 
Miles  what  I  was  about ;  but  I  am  sure  if  my  amiable 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       149 

cousin  had  known  there  was  a  man-eater  astern, 
he  would  have  permitted  me  to  jump  overboard. 
My  meals  were  handed  in  to  me  by  the  steward, 
and  I  spent  two  days  reading  the  Bible,  as  I  told 
you.  You  know  the  rest." 

We  discussed  the  matter  for  an  hour,  and  then 
turned  in,  Larry  occupying  a  berth  in  the  cabin. 


150  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OB 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IN   WHICH    PHIL    AND  LARKY   MAKE  SOME    NEW 
ACQUAINTANCES  AT  ST.    GEORGE. 


W 


HEN  I  went  on  deck  in  the  morning,  at 
rather  a  late  hour,  the  Blanche  was  off  the 
principal  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  St.  George, 
with  a  signal  flying  for  a  pilot.  The  wind  had 
subsided  to  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  westward. 
We  had  been  in  the  circles  of  one  of  the  revolving 
storms  which  prevail  in  the  region,  and  the  Hermia 
had  probably  experienced  its  full  violence.  But 
the  weather  was  beautiful  now,  and  the  bright  sun 
seemed  to  be  an  earnest  of  the  clearer  future  be 
fore  us,  now  that  Miles  had  apparently  been  de 
prived  of  his  power  to  injure  Larry.  We  took  a 
pilot  in  a  short  time,  and,  though  the  wind  was 
not  fair,  we  got  into  the  harbor  and  anchored  be 
fore  Larry  turned  out.  The  paying  out  of  the 
cable  waked  him,  and  he  thrust  his  head  out  of 
the  curtains. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      151 

"How's  this,  Phil?  Has  the  fore  to '-bobbin 
broke  down?"  he  asked,  evidently  startled  by  the 
noise  of  the  rattling  chain. 

"The  foreto '-bobbin's  all  right,  and  we  have 
come  to  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  St.  George." 

"Have  you  seen  the  dragon?" 

"No.  He  was  up  late  last  night,  and  hasn't 
turned  out  yet.  But  we  are  right  under  the  lee 
of  Cherrystone  Hill." 

"St,  George  is  nobody  without  the  dragon,"  re 
plied  Larry,  as  he  proceeded  to  dress  himself. 
"13  Miles  stirring  yet?" 

"I  haven't  heard  from  him   since  he  turned  in 

i 

last  night." 

"That's  twelve  hours  ago.  Perhaps  he  is  sick, 
or  something  has  happened  to  him,"  suggested  my 
friend,  with  a  troubled  look.  "He  couldn't  sleep 
twelve  hours  on  a  stretch." 

I  went  to  the  door  of  the  state-room  and 
knocked.  Miles  promptly  answered,  and  we  were 
assured  that  he  was  still  alive.  I  told  him  it  was 
eight  o'clock,  and  that  we  were  at  anchor  in  port. 
Presently  he  came  out  of  the  room,  with  his  over 
coat  on  his  arm. 

"Good  morning,  Miles,"  said  Larry. 


152  *    SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

4 'Good  morning,"  replied  he,  coldly,  as  he 
looked  about  the  cabin,  as  if  in  search  of  some 
one.  "Is  Captain  Garboard  here?" 

"He  is  not,"  I  answered.  "Captain  Garboard 
left  the  Blanche  last  night,  and  is  now  on  his  voy 
age  to  England." 

Miles  looked  at  me  in  utter  astonishment;  and 
I  related  to  him  all  the  circumstances  of  the  de 
parture  of  the  White  wing's  people.  He  appeared 
to  be  very  much  disconcerted,  and  disposed  to 
be  angry. 

"Didn't  you  hear  any  noise  last  night?"  I 
asked. 

"I  did  not,"  he  replied. 

"I  supposed  you  must  be  awake,  for  the  men 
were  tramping  on  the  deck  over  your  head  for  an 
hour." 

"I  heard  nothing.  I  am  a  heavy  sleeper  at  sea. 
Why  was  I  not  called?" 

"We  spoke  to  Captain  Garboard  about  seeing 
you,  but  he  declined  to  disturb  you." 

'  'The  villain !  Have  all  the  crew  of  the  White- 
wing  gone?" 

"Every  one  of  them,  including  Osborne.  As 
they  had  lost  their  voyage,  they  were  anxious  to 
get  home." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      153 

"I  am  anxious  to  get  home  also,  and  they  ought 
to  have  called  me.  Fitzgerald  would  have  given 
me  a  passage." 

* 'Don't  trouble  yourself  about  that,  Miles,"  in 
terposed  his  cousin.  "I  will  give  you  a  passage, 
and  place  my  yacht  at  your  disposal." 

Miles 's  face  flushed,  and  he  did  not  even  thank 
Larry  for  the  courteous  offer. 

* 'Breakfast  is  all  ready,  Mr.  Grimsby,"  I  con 
tinued.  "Take  a  seat,  sir." 

"I  will  not  impose  myself  upon  your  hospitality 
any  longer  than  is  necessary,"  he  answered,  very 
stiffly ;  and  I  could  not  help  feeling  that  we  were 
heaping  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head. 

"Of  course  you  are  free  to  go  or  stay,  as  you 
please,  Miles,"  said  Larry,  gently;  "but  my 
vessel  and  all  that  I  have  are  at  your  disposal. 
Whatever  wrong  you  have  done  me,  whatever 
wrong  you  have  intended  to  do  me,  I  shall  forgive 
and  forget ,  whether  you  go  or  stay.  " 

"I  am  not  to  be  caught  by  any  such  cant  as 
that,"  replied  Miles,  sourly. 

"I  am  sincere  in  all  I  say,"  added  Larry.  "I 
hope  you  will  breakfast  with  me,  or  at  least  at  my 
table ;  for  if  my  presence  is  disagreeable  to  you,  I 
will  retire." 


154  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"We  can  never  be  friends,"  said  Miles,  stalking 
across  the  cabin  to  the  steps.  "You  can  neither 
coax  nor  drive  me  from  my  position." 

He  went  on  deck,  and  I  followed  him.  Hailing 
a  negro  in  a  shore  boat,  he  left  the  yacht  without 
saying  good-bye,  or  thanking  us  for  the  trouble  we 
had  taken  to  save  him  from  his  fate  on  the  rocks. 

"It's  no  use,  Phil,"  said  Larry,  shaking  his 
head.  "I  have  forgiven  him  in  my  heaxt,  but  his 
teeth  are  set  against  me." 

"Your  conscience  is  clear,  whatever  he  may 
do.  He  evidently  regards  your  course  as  an 
attempt  to  coax  him  into  an  agreement." 

"I  don't  want  to  quarrel  with  him." 

We  sat  down  to  breakfast,  and  continued  to  con 
sider  the  question;  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  way 
to  make  peace  between  the  cousins. 

"Boat  with  two  ladies  coming  alongside,  sir," 
said  Mr.  Spelter,  at  the  companion-way. 

"Ladies!"  exclaimed  Larry,  leaving  the  table 
and  going  on  deck,  though  not  till  we  had  finished 
the  meal. 

"Is  Mr.  Grimsby  on  board?"  I  heard  some  one 
ask  in  the  boat. 

"He  is,  sir." 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       155 

In  the  stern-sheets  of  the  boat  were  two  ladies 
and  a  gentleman,  whom  the  mate  invited  to  come 
on  board.  The  accommodation  steps  were  already 
in  place,  and  the  party  were  assisted  to  the  deck. 
The  gentleman  had  asked  if  Mr.  Grimsby  was  on 
board,  and  I  wondered  who  in  this  place  could 
know  Larry.  One  of  the  ladies  was  young  and 
very  pretty — this  was  the  first  observation  I  made. 
The  other  lady  and  the  gentleman  were  elderly 
people. 

"Ah,  Mr.  Grimsby,  I  am  very  glad  indeed  to 
see  you ! ' '  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  as  Larry  pre 
sented  himself  on  the  quarter-deck,  extending  her 
hand  to  him. 

"I  thank  you;  and  I  assure  you  I  am  equally 
happy  to  see  you,"  replied  Larry,  taking  the 
offered  hand.  But  I  fear—" 

"I  am  so  glad  you  are  safe,"  interposed  the 
lady.  *  'We  heard  that  a  vessel  was  wrecked  yes 
terday,  and  we  feared  it  was  your  yacht." 

"Fortunately,  it  was  not  mine,"  added  Larry, 
with  admirable  self-possession. 

"And  what  a  beautiful  yacht  she  is !  "  exclaimed 
the  fair  Hdy,  glancing  around  her  at  the  well- 
ordered  deck  and  rigging.  "'You  can't  tell  how 
glad  I  am  that  you  have  come,  for  I  am  terribly 


156  SEA   AND   SHOKE,   OE 

weary  of  this  dull  place.  I  would  rather  die  in 
England  than  live  here." 

"You  don't  mean  that,  Lady  Eleanor,"  inter 
posed  the  elderly  ladye 

"Yes,  I  do  mean  it,  aunt.  It  is  the  stupidest 
place  in  the  world,  if  it  is  summer  all  winter. 
When  shall  you  be  ready  to  sail  for  England,  Mr. 
Grimsby." 

"In  a  few  days,"  answered  Larry. 

"The  sooner  the  better.  But  do  let  me  see  the 
yacht.  May  I  go  down  into  the  cabin?" 

"Certainly,  Lady  Eleanor;  the  yacht  is  entirely 
at  your  service.  But — " 

"It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  offer  us  a  passage  to 
England,  Mr  Grimsby,"  rattled  the  lady.  "But 
how  is  your  grandfather,  Sir  Philip  ?  It  was  very 
stupid  in  me  not  to  inquire  before." 

"He  was  quite  well  the  last  time  I  heard  from 
him,"  replied  Larry,  as  he  conducted  the  lady  to 
the  cabin. 

"Why,  it's  a  little  palace !"  exclaimed  Lady 
Eleanor. 

"It  is  a  very  comfortable  cabin." 

"It  is  more  than  that.  It  is  elegant.  I'm  sure 
we  shall  be  very  happy  here,  aunt." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       157 

" Certainly  we  ought  to  be,"  replied  the  elderly 
lady. 

"Pray  be  seated,  ladies,"  said  Larry. 

"May  I  look  into  this  state-room?"  asked  Lady 
Eleanor. 

"Excuse  me,  but  I  prefer  that  you  should  not 
until  it  is  put  in  order." 

The  young  lady  took  the  seat  which  Larry 
offered  her,  and  continued  to  gaze  about  the  cabin 
a  moment.  Then  she  looked  earnestly  at  my 
friend. 

"Dear  me,  Mr.  Grimsby !  I  think  you  look  ever 
so  much  better  than  you  did  when  I  saw  you  last," 
she  added. 

"When  was  that?"  asked  he,  quietly. 

"Don't  you  remember  it?" 

"I  really  do  not." 

"Why,  Mr.  Grimsby,  what  a  wicked  memory 
yours  must  be ! " 

"Eeally,  Lady  Eleanor,  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw 
you  before  in  my  life." 

"Never  saw  me!" 

"I  think  you  have  made  a  mistake,"  laughed 
Larry. 

"Are  you  not  Mr.  Grimsby?" 


158  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OK 

"I  am;  but  not  the  Mr.  Grimsby  for  whom  you 
take  me.  I  am  Lawrence  Grimsby,  not  Miles." 

The  lady  blushed  deeply,  and  was  very  much 
disturbed.  The  other  visitors  also  were  much 
surprised. 

"Why,  you  look  just  like  him!"  exclaimed 
Lady  Eleanor,  when  she  in  a  measure  recovered 
from  her  confusion. 

"But  I  look  better  than  he  did  when  you  saw 
him  last,"  added  Larry,  wickedly.  "I  fear  Miles 
will  not  consider  that  a  compliment,  though  I 
do." 

"I  haven't  seen  Mr.  Miles  for  more  than  a  year; 
but  you  are  the  very  image  of  him." 

"I  have  been  taken  for  him  before.  He  is  my 
cousin." 

"I  was  not  aware  that  he  had  a  cousin  before," 
said  the  gentleman. 

Larry  told  the  strange  story  of  his  father,  and 
of  his  own  return  to  Grimsby  Hall,  which  was  as 
yet  known  to  but  few  persons  in  England. 

"But  Mr.  Miles  wrote  to  me  that  he  should 
come  to  the  Bermudas  in  April  or  May,  and 
offered  us  all  a  passage  home  in  his  yacht." 

"His  yacht   was  wrecked  yesterday;    but  all 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       159 

hands  were  saved,  and  Miles  landed  half  an  hour 
before  you  came  on  board. ' ' 

44  Then  we  are  not  to  go  to  England  in  Mr. 
Miles's  yacht,  after  all,"  sighed  Lady  Eleanor, 
with  an  expression  of  intense  disappointment  on 
her  face. 

"That  will  be  quite  impossible,  for  the  White- 
wing  has  gone  to  pieces  on  the  reef. ' ' 

"I  anticipated  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  from  the 
voyage  in  a  yacht ;  and  now  I  must  go  home  some 
other  way." 

"Permit  me  to  place  my  state-room  at  your  dis 
posal,  Lady  Eleanor,"  added  Larry,  very  politely. 
"We  are  going  to  England,  and  should  be  delight 
ed  with  your  company  and  that  of  your  friends." 

"You  are  too  kind,"  exclaimed  the  beautiful 
young  lady,  her  face  lighting  up  with  pleasure. 

"But  we  could  not  think  of  trespassing  upon 
your  hospitality  to  that  extent,"  interposed  Mr. 
Laiigford,  the  elderly  gentleman. 

"It  will  be  no  trespass,  for  I  assure  you  I  shall 
consider  myself  the  obliged  party.  Certainly 
nothing  could  be  more  agreeable  to  me  than  such 
delightful  company." 

"I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,  Mr.  Grimsby; 


160  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

and  unless  my  friends  object,  I  shall  accept  the 
invitation." 

"We  are  certainly  very  much  indebted  to  you, 
sir,"  added  Mr.  Langford.  "Your  polite  offer 
places  us  under  great  obligations  to  you.  Lady 
Eleanor  had  set  her  heart  upon  going  home  in  a 
yacht.  But  perhaps  we  had  better  consult  the 
governor,  who  is  the  lady's  uncle,  before  we  give 
you  a  final  answer.  I  fear  we  shall  annoy  you  too 
much." 

"Not  at  all.  I  only  regret  that  I  can  offer  you 
but  one  state-room,"  said  Larry. 

"Yes,  you  can;  you  can  offer  mine,"  I  inter 
posed,  for  I  could  not  think  of  occupying  my  room 
while  the  owner  of  the  Blanche  had  only  a  berth 
in  the  cabin. 

"Good,  Phil!  Then  we  can  accommodate  you 
all  very  comfortably." 

"But  we  cannot  think  of  depriving  you  of  your 
rooms,"  protested  the  gentleman;  and  both  the 
ladies  joined  in  the  protest. 

"We  shall  be  very  well  berthed  in  the  cabin," 
replied  Larry,  as  he  opened  the  door  of  his  state 
room,  which  had  just  been  put  in  order  by  the 
steward. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       161 

"How  elegant!  It's  a  little  boudoir!"  ex 
claimed  Lady  Eleanor,  clapping  her  hands  with 
delight  as  »he  entered  the  room. 

We  went  over  the  yacht  with  our  new  friends, 
who  expressed  their  satisfaction  in  the  warmest 
terms.  They  soon  took  leave  of  us;  but  I  had 
ordered  a  boat  to  be  lowered,  and  Larry  and  I 
reached  the  landing-place  almost  as  soon  as  they 
did.  Mr.  Langford  invited  us  to  visit  the  res 
idence  of  the  governor,  which  we  did,  and  were 
duly  presented  to  this  distinguished  functionary. 
He  gave  us  a  very  pleasant  reception,  and  asked 
us  to  dinner  that  day.  We  promised  to  come, 
and  then  took  a  tramp  to  the  farthest  end  of  the 
island. 

"Phil,  I've  just  got  it  through  my  thick  head," 
said  my  friend,  when  we  had  left  the  governor's, 
"and  I  don't  know  but  I  have  made  a  mess  of  it." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"It  seems  that  Miles  came  here  for  a  purpose. 
This  pretty  Lady  Eleanor  is  the  lady  he  wishes 
to  marry,  and  he  came  down  here  to  see  her  and 
convey  her  home  in  his  yacht;  and  I  have  invited 
her  to  go  to  England  with  me ! " 

"I  don't  see  that  any  harm  has  been  done." 
11 


162  SEA   AND    SHOES,    CP, 

"The  idea  of  my  sailing  this  lady  home,  and 
leaving  Miles  here,  is  slightly  odd." 

"You  offered  Miles  a  passage,  and  he  declined 
the  offer." 

"He  will  be  the  maddest  man  in  the  Bermuda 
Islands  if  the  lady  and  her  friends  should  conclude 
to  accept  the  invitation." 

"They  will  accept  it,  you  may  depend.  When 
a  pretty  girl,  like  her  ladyship,  makes  up  her 
mind  to  do  anything,  she  generally  carries  the 
day.  She  wants  to  go  home  in  a  yacht,  and  she 
will  go." 

"Miles  may  persuade  her  not  to  do  so." 

"Miles  has  not  logic  or  rhetoric  enough  to  do 
anything  of  the  kind." 

At  noon  we  went  on  board  of  the  Blanche  and 
lunched.  We  dressed  for  dinner,  and  went  on 
shore  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  At  the 
landing-place  we  encountered  Miles,  who  had  evi 
dently  been  waiting  there  for  us.  I  concluded 
that  he  had  seen  Lady  Eleanor,  and  that  there  was 
a  tempest  gathering,  which  was  now  to  burst 
upon  the  head  of  my  friend. 

"Lawrence,"  said  Miles,  as  we  landed,  "it  is 
very  hard  for  me  to  ask  a  favor  of  you." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      163 

"I  am  sorry  it  is  so  hard ;  but  it  is  not  my  fault, 
you  know, ' '  replied  Larry.  ' 'Anything  in  reason 
that  you  can  ask  of  me  I  will  grant." 

"Thank  you.  How  much  did  your  yacht  cost 
you?" 

"About  three   thousand  pounds." 

"I  wish  to  purchase  her,  and  will  give  you  six 
thousand  pounds  for  her,"  continued  Miles,  with 
some  hesitation  and  embarrassment. 

"I  do  not  wish  to  sell  her,"  replied  Larry, 
astonished  at  the  proposition.  "I  have  had  her 
fitted  up  to  suit  me,  and  all  my  plans  for  the  sum 
mer  depend  upon  her." 

"I  did  not  suppose  you  wished  to  sell  her,  and 
therefore  I  asked  you  to  do  so  as  a  favor  to  me. 
Long  before  I  left  home  I  wrote  to  some  friends 
here,  informing  them  that  I  should  visit  the  Ber 
mudas  in  April  or  May,  and  inviting  them  to  take 
passage  to  England  in  my  yacht.  The  loss  of  the 
Whitewing  places  me  in  a  very  awkward  posi 
tion,  from  which  you  alone  have  the  power  to  re 
lieve  me." 

"I  understand  you,  and  will  consider  your  prop 
osition,"  replied  Larry. 

"I  will  employ    all    your  crew,  with  one  ex- 


164  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

ception,  and  carry  out  all  your  engagements 
with  them." 

"You  shall  have  my  answer  to-morrow;"  and 
Miles  left  us. 

"If  that  isn't  cheek,  I  don't  know  what  cheek 
is,"  I  added,  as  we  walked  towards  the  govern 
or's. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      165 


CHAPTER  XH. 

IN  WHICH    PHIL  AND  LARRY    DINE  AT  THE  GOVERN 
OR'S,    AND   A   QUARREL   ENSUES. 

LARRY  seemed  to  be  in  deep  thought  as  we 
walked  up  the  street,  and  I  did  not  disturb 
him.  I  was  very  curious  to  know  what  action  he 
intended  to  take  upon  the  astounding  proposition, 
of  his  villainous  cousin.  Since  his  escape  from  th&* 
White  wing  he  had  talked  a  great  deal  of  the 
truths  he  had  learned  in  his  two  days'  study  of 
the  Bible.  But  I  was  afraid  he  was  mistaken  in 
his  Christian  duty,  which  certainly  did  not  require 
him  wholly  to  sacrifice  himself  to  the  pleasure  of 
one  who  sought  only  to  injure  him.  The  large 
sum  of  money  which  Miles  offered  for  the  Blanche 
had  no  influence  whatever  upon  the  mind  of 
Larry,  and  I  knew  that  he  would  not  accept  any 
more  than  the  fair  value  of  the  vessel,  if  he 
sold  her. 


166  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

"What  do  you  think  of  that  offer,  Phil?"  asked 
Larry,  after  we  had  walked  some  distance. 

"I  don't  know  that  I  ought  to  say  what  I 
think, ' '  I  replied.  ' 'I  do  not  wish  to  influence  you 
in  a  matter  between  you  and  your  cousin." 

"Do  you  think  I  ought  to  accept  the  offer?" 

"I  think  you  had  better  settle  that  question 
yourself,  Larry." 

"Don't  desert  me,  Phil." 

"I  will  not;  but  the  case  is  a  family  matter." 

"If  I  could  have  peace  with  Miles,  I  would 
make  him  a  present  of  the  Blanche,"  said  Larry, 
very  much  perplexed.  "He  has  come  clown  from 
his  high  horse  far  enough  to  ask  a  favor  of  me, 
for  of  course  the  sale  of  the  vessel  is  all  nonsense. 
It  doesn't  make  a  bit  of  difference  with  me 
whether  I  have  three  thousand  pounds  more  or 
less;  but  if  I  can  make  an  arrangement  with  him 
whereby  we  can  be  friends,  or  at  least  dwell  to 
gether  upon  the  earth  in  peace,  I  shall  be  satisfied 
to  sacrifice  my  own  pleasure,  and  yours,  too,  for 
that  matter,  Phil,  for  we  are  to  spend  the  season 
together,  and  we  have  laid  out  a  very  enjoy 
able  trip." 

^ Never  mind  me." 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       167 

"I  will  not,  if  I  can  heal  the  breach,  Phil;  but  I 
shall  be  grateful  to  you  for  not  interfering." 

We  reached  the  governor's  temporary  residence, 
for  his  capital  was  at  Hamilton,  on  another  island. 
We  found  Miles  there,  as  we  expected.  He  had 
seen  Lady  Eleanor  and  her  friends,  and  had  been 
apprised  of  the  invitation  the  party  had  received 
to  go  to  England  in  the  Blanche.  His  plan  to  buy 
the  yacht  was  doubtless  an  expedient  to  deprive 
us  of  our  interesting  passenger.  As  the  ladies 
had  not  yet  appeared,  we  had  an  opportunity  to 
consider  the  proposition  still  further. 

"I  have  been  thinking  of  your  offer,  Miles," 
said  Larry,  seating  himself  by  the  side  of  his 
cousin.  <  'I  understand  and  appreciate  the  motives 
which  induce  you  to  make  it.  You  know  that 
the  most  earnest  desire  of  my  life  is  to  have  peace 
and  happiness  in  our  family." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  'our  family?'  "  de 
manded  Miles,  haughtily. 

"I  mean  Sir  Philip  Grimsby  and  his  grandsons^ 
as  well  as  all  others  connected  with  him  or  them." 

"Go  on,"  added  Miles,  with  a  palpable  sneer 
on  his  face,  which  was  not  hopeful  for  a  favorable 
result. 


168  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR   . 

"I  am  confident  that  Sir  Philip  will  treat  us 
both  alike.  If  you  will  sign  a  paper  acknowl 
edging  my  rights,  agreeing  to  live  at  peace  with 
me—" 

"I  will  not,"  said  he,  vehemently. 

"I  ask  it  of  you  as  a  favor,  that  you  will  simply 
acknowledge  what  has  been  established  to  the 
satisfaction  of  Sir  Philip  and  his  legal  advisers, 
and  be  at  peace  with  me." 

4 'I  regard  you  as  an  impostor,"  growled  Miles; 
"and  I  cannot  be  on  friendly  terms  with  such  a 
person." 

"Then  without  waiting  for  to-morrow,  a  decent 
self-respect  compels  me  to  decline  your  proposi 
tion  in  regard  to  the  Blanche,"  answered  Larry, 
very  mildly  and  gently.  "At  the  same  time,  if 
the  Lady  Eleanor  and  her  friends  conclude  to  ac 
cept  the  invitation  I  have  given  them  to  return  to 
England  in  the  Blanche,  I  will  place  a  berth  in 
the  cabin— the  best  I  can  offer  you — at  your 
disposal." 

"You  know  very  well  that  I  shall  refuse  such 
an  offer.  Nothing  can  induce  me  to  place  myself 
under  the  slightest  obligation  to  you,"  answered 
Miles,  stiffly  and  proudly. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       169 

"I  think  that  the  obligation — if  such  you 
choose  to  regard  it — of  giving  you  a  berth  in 
my  cabin  is  vastly  less  than  that  of  giving  up  the 
yacht  entirely  to  you,  and  setting  aside  all  my 
plans  for  the  season.  But  you  have  a  right  to 
your  own  opinion." 

The  question  was  settled;  and  the  ladies  pres 
ently  entered  the  drawing-room. 

Lady  Eleanor  was  certainly  lovely.  She  was 
not  more  than  seventeen,  and  a  perpetual  smile 
played  upon  her  pretty  lips.  I  could  not  blame 
Miles  for  loving  her,  and  I  could  not  wonder  that 
he  was  willing  to  sacrifice  his  pride  so  far,  for  her 
sake,  as  to  ask  my  friend  for  his  yacht.  After 
observing  them  for  half  an  hour,  I  concluded  that 
the  lady  was  not  in  love  with  Miles,  if  he  was 
with  her;  indeed,  1  thought  she  avoided  him  to 
some  extent,  and  she  certainly  talked  more  with 
Larry  than  with  him.  Agreeably  to  the  English 
custom,  the  ladies  retired  after  coffee,  and  the 
gentlemen  sipped  their  wine,  and  engaged  in  con 
versation.  Larry  and  I,  as  usual,  drank  nothing 
stronger  than  coffee;  but  I  noticed  that  Miles, 
doubtless  preyed  upon  by  his  disappointment, 
punished  his  bottle  very  severely.  If  he  had 


170  SEA    AND    SHORE,   OR 

been  happy,  his  wine  would  have  made  him  hap 
pier;  as  he  was  ugly,  it  made  him  uglier. 

The  governor  asked  me  something  about  my 
friend's  relations  to  Sir  Philip,  and  I  told  him 
enough  of  the  story  to  enable  him  to  understand 
them.  He  was  very  much  interested,  and  listened 
to  the  narrative,  at  one  end  of  the  table,  while 
Miles  and  a  government  official  were  pushing  the 
bottle  at  the  other.  I  spoke  in  a  low  tone,  but 
somehow  Miles  overheard  me,  or  suspected  what 
I  was  talking  about.  He  rose  from  his  seat,  and 
walked  rather  unsteadily  to  our  end  of  the  table. 
I  suspended  my  narrative,  for  I  had  given  all  the 
material  portions  of  it. 

"You  are  speaking  of  Lawrence  Grimsby.  He 
is  an  impostor  and  a  swindler,"  roared  Miles, 
savagely. 

"You  forget,  Mr.  Grimsby,  that  you  are  in  the 
presence  of  gentlemen,"  interposed  the  governor, 
sternly,  as  he  rose  from  his  chair,  and  held  up  his 
hand  with  a  dcprecato^  gesture. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  governor,  for  saying  it  be 
fore  you  and  your  friends ;  but  it  is  the  truth,"  re 
plied  Miles,  more  mildly.  < 'If  he  had  the  instincts 
of  a  gentleman,  he  would  resent  it." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       171 

"Nothing  which  a  tipsy  man  can  say  affects 
me,"  laughed  Larry. 

"Do  you  mean  to  insult  me  ?"  demanded  Miles, 
shaking  his  fist  in  his  cousin's  face. 

o 

"Mr.  Grimsby,  take  your  seat!"  said  the  gov 
ernor,  angrily.  "You  insult  me  by  such  conduct 
in  my  presence." 

"Let  my  wrongs  be  my  apology  1"  replied 
Miles,  awed  and  abashed  by  the  words  of  his 
host,  as  he  dropped  into  a  chair. 

"This  is  not  a  question  for  me  to  settle," 
added  the  governor;  "and  I  will  not  tolerate  a 
quarrel  in  my  presence." 

"I  beg  your  excellency's  pardon,"  stammered 
Miles.  "My  wrongs  for  a  moment  caused  me 
to  forget  myself." 

"You  should  apologize  to  Mr.  Lawrence 
Grimsby,  whom  you  assailed  with  the  most  op 
probrious  epithets . ' ' 

"I  cannot  do  that,  even  to  retain  your  excel 
lency's  esteem." 

"I  do  not  require  it,"  interposed  Larry. 

"But  I  do.  A  quarrel  commenced  at  my  table 
must  be  ended  there,"  stormed  the  choleric  gov 
ernor. 


172  SEA  AND  SHORE,  OR 

"I  can  apologize  to  your  excellency,  but  not 
to  one  whom  I  justly  and  properly  stigmatized, 
though  the  time  and  place  were  badly  chosen." 

"I  beg  you  will  not  insist  upon  any  further 
apology,"  said  Larry. 

"If  I  do  not,  I  trust  Mr.  Lawrence's  magna 
nimity  will  be  fully  appreciated,"  added  the 
governor. 

4 'Since  I  have  been  assailed  here,  and  stigma 
tized  as  an  impostor  and  a  swindler,  it  is  but  just 
that  my  defence  should  be  heard,"  continued 
Larry,  pleasantly;  for  he  kept  his  temper  re 
markably  well  under  the  savage  provocation  to 
which  he  was  subjected.  ''May  I  ask  your  ex 
cellency  to  read  two  or  three  letters  to  me  from 
Sir  Philip  Grimsby?" 

My  friend  produced  his  letters;  the  governor 
and  Mr.  Langford  read  them  attentively.  Both 
of  them  knew  Sir  Philip  intimately,  and  they 
left  no  doubt  whatever  in  their  minds  in  regard 
to  Larry's  position. 

"I  am  entirely  satisfied,  Mr.  Grimsby,"  said 
the  governor.  "If  I  had  any  doubts  before,  I 
have  none  now.  My  niece  is  very  anxious  to 
accept  your  kind  invitation  to  return  to  England 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       173 

in  your  yacht,  and  in  her  behalf  I  accept  it.  Of 
course  she  will  be  attended  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Langford." 

"Certainly,  sir.  The  invitation  was  extended  to 
them,  and  to  Mr.  Miles  also,"  answered  Larry. 

This  was  enough  to  complete  the  disgust  of 
Miles,  for  the  governor  had  spoken  loud  enough 
for  him  to  hear,  and  he  soon  after  retired.  The 
conversation  was  continued  for  an  hour  longer  by 
those  who  remained.  I  deemed  it  my  duty,  in  a 
quiet  way  to  introduce  the  fact  that  Larry  was 
already  engaged  to  a  lady  in  New  York,  so  that 
the  friends  of  our  fair  passenger  might  not  sup 
pose  that  the  gallant  owner  of  the  Blanche  in 
tended  to  win  a  titled  wife  by  his  courtesy.  We 
spent  a  very  pleasant  evening  with  the  party  in 
the  drawing-room,  and  Lady  Eleanor  was  de 
lighted  when  told  she  was  to  make  the  voyage 
in  the  yacht.  At  ten  o'clock  we  retired,  and 
went  on  board  of  the  Blanche.  We  had  a  long 
talk  about  the  events  of  the  evening;  but  not  a 
particle  of  progress  had  been  made  towards  a 
reconciliation  with  Miles;  indeed,  such  a  happy 
event  seemed  more  distant  than  ever. 

The  climate  of  the  Bermudas  at  this  season 
was  delicious.  It  was  neither  hot  nor  cold,  and 


174  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

everything  was  in  bloom.  Larry  and  I  enjoyed 
the  air  and  scenery.  The  next  morning  we  took 
another  long  tramp  on  shore,  visiting  some  ar 
row-root  and  other  farms  where  vegetables  were 
raised  for  the  New  York  market.  We  were  much 
interested  in  the  excursion,  and  we  agreed  that  a 
tramp  on  foot  affords  the  best  facilities  for  seeing 
the  people  and  the  manners  and  customs  of  any 
country.  We  arranged  several  tramps  in  Eu 
rope;  and  I  think  if  we  had  taken  them  all,  they 
would  have  occupied  half  a  dozen  seasons. 

As  we  were  entering  the  town  of  St.  George, 
which  contains  about  five  hundred  houses,  on  our 
return  we  saw  a  singular-looking  being  approach 
ing  us.  He  was  a  man  at  least  six  and  a  half 
feet  high,  very  gaunt  and  thin.  His  pants  were 
tight,  and  he  wore  the  shortest  of  frock  coats, 
whose  skirts  hardly  covered  his  hips.  Both  of 
these  garments  were  of  dark  green,  and  the  coat 
was  buttoned  to  his  chin.  On  his  head  was  a  cap 
of  the  same  color,  with  no  visor,  tipped  very  far 
over  on  one  side.  His  only  beard  was  a  tremen 
dous  heavy  mustache,  which  was  red  enough  to 
light  a  match.  His  hair  was  bushy,  and  of  the 
same  color.  He  looked  like  an  exaggeration  of 
some  of  the  British  army  swells, —  privates  and 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       175 

non-commissioned  officers, —  whom  I  had  seen  in 
London  and  other  English  cities ;  yet  the  absence 
of  certain  distinguishing  marks  assured  me  that 
he  did  not  belong  to  the  army.  He  was  a  person 
who  might,  have  been  thirty-five,  or  forty-five.  I 
could  not  form  an  opinion  in  regard  to  his  age. 
His  nose  was  very  red,  and  his  face  flushed :  in 
fact,  he  had  raised  a  very  abundant  crop  of  toddy- 
blossoms.  Larry  and  I  could  not  help  staring  at 
this  long,  spindling  specimen  of  humanity ;  and  I 
confess  that  our  risibles  were  so  rudely  exercised 
by  his  singular  appearance  that  we  found  it  rather 
difficult  to  preserve  a  decorous  gravity. 

"Good  morning,  gentlemen,"  said  the  lofty 
stranger,  xaising  his  little  cap,  and  bowing  with 
the  most  exuberant  politeness.  "Have  I  the 
honor  to  address  Mr.  Lawrence  Grimsby  and  Cap 
tain  Farringford,  of  the  magnificent  yacht  which 
is  at  anchor  in  the  harbor?" 

"Undoubtedly  you  have,  sir,"  replied  Larry, 
lightly.  "May  I  ask  whom  I  have  the  honor  of 
addressing?" 

"Certainly,  sir.  Allow  me  to  introduce  myself 
as  Captain  Gregory  McFordingham,  formerly  in 
the  service  of  the  Honorable  East  India  Com 
pany,  but  now  detached  and  unemployed." 


176  SEA  AND   SHORE ,    OR 

* 'Happy  to  make  your  acquaintance,  Captain 
McFordingham ;  and  I  hope  we  shall  not  quar 
rel,"  added  Larry. 

''Quarrel!  What  could  have  suggested  such  a 
thought  to  you?'7  exclaimed  he,  with  a  dramatic 
start.  "Has  any  reckless  vandal  been  taking 
liberties  with  rny  reputation?" 

"Not  that  1  am  aware  of,  Captain  McFording 
ham,  for  I  assure  you  this  is  the  first  time  I 
have  had  the  honor  to  see  or  hear  of  you." 

"Is  it  possible?  And  yet  wre  ought  to  know 
each  other  better.  I  imagine  that  I  am  address 
ing  my  conversation  at  this  particular  moment  to 
Mr.  Grimsby,  and  not  to  the  gallant  Captain  Far- 
ringford." 

"Your  brilliant  imagination  does  not  mislead 
you,"  laughed  Larry,  who  enjoyed  the  tall  gen 
tleman  exceedingly. 

"I  thought  so;  but  no  offence  to  you,  Captain 
Farringford,"  continued  our  new  acquaintance, 
touching  his  miniature  cap  and  bowing  to  me. 
"I  am  fully  informed  in  regard  to  the  captain's 
gallant  conduct  in  the  rescue  of  the  officers  and 
crew  of  the  vessel  that  was  unhappily  wrecked 
near  Mill's  Breaker  the  other  day.  Permit  me 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       177 

to  add,  Captain  Farringford,  that  I  admire  and 
applaud  your  noble  gallantry  and  your  magnani 
mous  self-sacrifice. ' ' 

"May  I  ask  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  this 
generous  setting  forth  of  my  conduct,  which  cer 
tainly  does  not  warrant  such  extravagant  praise  ?" 
I  asked. 

"Ah,  captain,  true  bravery  is  always  modest, 
and  you  will  permit  me  to  say  that  you  are  not 
the  best  and  truest  exponent  of  your  own  noble 
deeds." 

"But  will  you  tell  me  who  said  anything  to 
you  about  me  and  my  conduct?" 

"My  excellent  friend,  the  governor  of  the  Ber 
mudas,  who  is  always  among  the  first  to  exalt 
and  magnify  a  noble  and  generous  act." 

Perhaps  I  was  too  suspicious,  but  I  was  afraid 
the  fellow  was  an  agent  of  Miles  Grimsby.  How 
ever,  the  governor  knew  the  whole  story  of  the 
shipwreck,  and  his  information  seemed  to  have 
been  properly  obtained. 

"I  was  about  to  say  that  we  ought  to  know- 
each  other  better,  Mr.  Grimsby,  when  the  nat 
ural  modesty  of  Captain  Farringford  diverted  the 
conversation,  "  continued  Captain  McFordingham. 
12 


178  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

"Undoubtedly  we  ought;  and  as  we  h;we  been 
remiss  in  this  respect  in  the  past,  we  must  make 
amends  for  it  in  the  future,"  replied  Larry. 

* 'Quite  right,  Mr.  Grimsby:  and,  beyond  the 
demands  of  friendship  and  good  fellowship,  I 
must  offer  the  additional  inducement  of  a  rela 
tionship  between  us,  for  Sir  Philip  Grimsby, 
your  grandfather  —  the  noblest  and  wealthiest 
baronet  in  all  England,  let  me  add,  in  parenthe 
sis — married  a  McFordingham,  as  you  are  doubt 
less  aware." 

Larry  confessed  that  he  had  not  studied  the 
genealogy  of  his  family  enough  to  be  aware  of 
the  fact. 

4 'Well,  sir,  the  deceased  and  lamented  wife 
of  Sir  Philip  had  a  brother,  whose  grandson  I 
have  the  honor  to  be.  But  I  have  particular 
business  with  you,  gentlemen;  and  will  you  ac 
cept  the  hospitality  of  my  poor  lodgings  for  half 
an  hour?" 

My  friend  enjoyed  the  adventure  too  much  to 
allow  it  to  be  broken  off  thus  prematurely,  and 
we  accompanied  Captain  McFordingham  to  a  tap 
room  connected  with  a  lodging-house. 


THE   TRAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  179 


CHAPTER 


IN      WHICH     PHIL    AND     LARRY     DECLINE     VARIOUS 
OFFERS. 

CAPTAIN  GREGORY  McFORDINGHAM 
doubled  up  his  length  of  six  and  one-half 
feet  in  a  chair,  and  invited  us  to  be  seated.  I 
could  not  exactly  understand  why  we  were  in 
such  a  place,  and  with  such  a  man,  for  I  need 
not  say  that  I  had  no  respect  for  our  magnificent 
and  over-courteous  host.  The  only  explanation 
I  could  make  to  myself  of  our  position  was,  that 
my  friend  had  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  humor 
of  the  fellow,  who,  however,  did  not  seem  to  be 
aware  that  he  was  amusing  us. 

o 

"Brandy  and  water  for  me,"  said  the  captain, 
as  a  waiter  presented  himself  at  the  table.  "Gen 
tlemen,  will  you  have  wine,  ale,  or  spirits?  For 
my  part,  I  always  take  brandy  in  this  climate  ;  it 


180  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

agrees  with  me  best.     But  don't  let  me  influence 
you.     Shall  it  be  brandy?" 

''Thank  you,  Captain  McFordingham ;  but 
speaking  for  myself  and  my  accomplished  nautical 
friend,  we  don't  drink  brandy,"  replied  Larry. 

"Ah,  I  forgot.  Whiskey  is  the  national  bev 
erage  of  America.  Waiter,  let  it  be  whiskey," 
added  our  long  host. 

"Whiskey  may  be  the  national  beverage  of 
America;  but  we  do  not  use  it." 

"No?     Shall  it  be  gin?" 

"It  shall  not.     We  never   drink   liquor  of  any, 
kind." 

"Many  people  do  not;  though  I  confess  that 
the  fact  is  a  paradox  to  me.  In  my  estimation, 
good  French  brandy  is  the  most  wholesome  drink 
a  person  can  take,  especially  in  this  climate. 
But  of  course  I  respect  your  judgment." 

"Thank  you.  You  are  very  considerate,  and 
even  magnanimous.  But  in  regard  to  brandy  I 
disagree  with  you  utterly,"  replied  Larry. 

"I  cannot  speak  with  authority  in  regard  to  the 
wines  of  this  place,  for  I  never  drink  them,  pre 
ferring  brandy,  as  I  said.  But  I  dare  say  they 
have  good  sherry." 


THE  THAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       181 

"As  good  as  any  in  the  United  Kingdom," 
interposed  the  waiter. 

"I  dare  say  it  is  good  enough:  but  we  don't 
drink  sherry,"  laughed  Larry. 

44 Ah,  Madeira.    How  is  your  Madeira,  waiter?" 

"Excellent,  sir;  better  nor  it  is  in  England, 
Captain  O'Crackbone  says  so;  which  he  ought  to 
know,  sir." 

"Excuse  us,  sir;  but  we  don't  drink  Madeira. 
We  heard  of  a  man  who  was  poisoned  by  drink 
ing  it." 

"Bless  iny  'eart!  Not  with  our  Madeira, 
sir!"  exclaimed  the  waiter,  with  horror. 

"I  can't  say  it  was  yours;  but  we  never  touch 
any  Madeira,"  answered  Larry,  shaking  his  head. 

"Then  let  it  be  Port.  Have  you  any  real  Port, 
waiter — not  the  decoction  of  logwood?" 

"Our  Port  comes  to  us  direct  from  'Porto, 
which  it  is  good  from  nowhere  else,  sir,  you 
know." 

"We  don't  drink  Port,  captain.  In  fact,  we 
don't  drink  wine  at  all,  sir." 

"Is  it  possible?"  ejaculated  our  tall  host,  with 
an  expression  of  pity  on  his  face.  "They  have 
the  best  of  English  ales  here." 


182  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OK 

"Yes,  sir;  Hinglish  hale  in  its  purity,''  added 
the  waiter,  with  enthusiasm. 

"Alsop,  Bass,  Falkirk.  Let  me  recommend 
Falkirk." 

"I  think  we  will  not  drink  any  Falkirk." 

"  Alsop 's  very  good,"  said  the  captain.  "I  used 
to  drink  Alsop  myself,  once.  But  what  is  the 
use  of  wasting  one's  time  over  half  a  dozen 
glasses  of  ale,  when  one  of  I) randy  will  produce 
the  same  effect?  Waiter,  bring  Alsop." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  McFordingham, 
but  I  believe  I  neglected  to  say  that  we  don't 
drink  Alsop." 

"Then  Bass.     Some  people  prefer  Bass." 

"Doubtless  they  do;  but  we  do  not,"  added 
Larry:  "it  is  rathsr  heady." 

"What  else  have  you,  waiter?"  asked  our  host, 
who  evidently  regarded  his  guests  as  altogether 
too  fastidious. 

"I  think  we  'ave  named  everything  we  'as,  sir, 
which  it  is  the  best  to  be  'ad  anywhere." 

"I  don't  like  to  be  too  abrupt  in  these  little 
social  interchanges ;  but  perhaps  it  is  now  time 
for  me  to  say  that  we  don't  drink  anything,"  con 
tinued  Larry,  with  becoming  gravity. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       183 

"Don't  drink  anything!"  exclaimed  Captain 
McFordingham,  springing  to  his  feet,  and  elevat 
ing  his  entire  length  before  us.  "Is  it  possible?" 

"My  amiable  marine  friend  here  never  tasted 
liquor,  wine,  or  beer  in  his  life,"  added  Larry, 
pointing  to  rue.  "A  year  ago  I  concluded  to  fol 
low  his  illustrious  example." 

"Is  it  possible  that  you  are  teetotalers  ?' 

"We  are." 

"I've  heard  of  such,  but  I  never  saw  one  be 
fore,"  said  our  host,  with  an  expression  of  amaze 
ment,  as  he  dropped  into  his  chair  again.  "Of 
course  I  can't  drink  brandy  and  water  alone." 

"I  really  can't  advise  you  to  do  so,"  responded 
Larry.  "I  think  you  observed  that  you  had  busi 
ness  with  us." 

"I  did,  and  you  were  kind  enough  to  come  here 
with  me.  With  your  permission,  I  will  proceed 
to  open  my  business. — Nothing,  waiter,"  he 
added,  with  dignity,  to  the  man  who  was  waiting 
for  his  order.  "1  never  drink  alone  in  presence 
of  company." 

"We  have  some  RocheUe  brandy,  which  it  is 
very  good,  sir." 

"None,"  added  the  captain,  waving  his  hand 
at  the  waiter,  who  retired. 


184  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 

At  that  moment  Miles  Grimsby  entered  the  tap 
room  from  an  inner  apartment,  and  I  concluded 
that  his  lodgings  were  in  the  house.  I  saw  that 
he  gave  a  start  when  he  perceived  us;  and  he 
then  walked  to  the  table,  where  we  sat. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  lift 
ing  his  Scotch  cap.  "The  Unicorn  is  coming 
into  the  harbor  at  this  moment  —  ' ' 

"Is  it  possible?"  exclaimed  Captain  McFord- 
ingham,  who  seemed  to  have  no  acquaintance 
with  Miles. 

"I  saw  her  from  my  window  up  stairs.  I  do 
not  know  how  long  she  will  remain;  but  I  wish 
to  speak  a  word  to  you,  Mr.  Grimsby,  as  soon 
as  possible,  for  I  shall  go  to  New  York  in  her, 
and  thence  to  England,  unless  some  different 
arrangement  should  be  made." 

"Then,  if  you  please,  gentlemen,  will  you  ex 
cuse  me  for  half  an  hour?"  interposed  our  tall 
friend.  "If  the  steamer  is  coming  in,  I  have  a 
bit  of  business  to  do." 

"If  we  are  not  here  when  you  return,  you  will 
find  us  on  board  of  the  Blanche,"  replied  Larry; 
and  the  tall  captain  bowed  himself  off. 

Miles  Grimsby  took  the  chair  he  had  vacated, 
and  the  waiter  immediately  presented  himself. 


THE   TKAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER.  185 

"A  bottle  of  sherry,"  said  Miles. 

"Sherry,  sir,  which  it  is  very  good  sherry  we 
'ave,  too,  sir,"  answered  the  man,  who  was  so 
fluent  in  recommending  the  merchandise  of  the 
house  that  he  might  have  been  supposed  to  share 
its  profits. 

As  Larry  was  not  Miles 's  keeper,  however 
much  he  needed  one,  my  friend  did  not  interfere 
with  the  order.  The  waiter  brought  three  glasses 
and  set  them  before  us.  Although  Larry  and  I 
protested,  the  man  filled  ours. 

"I  hardly  expect  you  to  drink  wine  with  me," 
said  Miles. 

"You  are  aware  that  we  don't  drink  wine  with 
any  one,  even  at  the  risk  of  being  regarded  as 
prigs,"  answered  Larry. 

"We  need  not  discuss  that  question.  Have  you 
finally  decided  in  regard  to  the  yacht,  Law 
rence?" 

"I  have.  I  cannot  accept  your  liberal  offer, 
Miles.  But  a  berth  in  the  cabin  is  at  your  dis 
posal,"  answered  Larry.  "As  you  are  doubtless 
aware,  Lady  Eleanor  and  her  friends  have  con 
cluded  to  take  passage  in  the  Blanche." 


186  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"I  am  aware  of  it,"  replied  Miles,  draining 
his  glass;  "and  your  mention  of  the  fact  is  the 
greatest  insult  you  can  cast  upon  me,"  he  added, 
bringing  his  fist  down  upon  the  table  with  a  force 
that  slopped  half  the  wine  out  of  the  glasses  be 
fore  us. 

"I  did  not  intend  it  as  an  insult;  and,  if  you 
regard  it  as  such,  I  tender  my  apology,"  said 
Larry,  mildly. 

"Not  content  with  robbing  me  of  my  fortune 
and  my  title,  you  seek  to  turn  the  Lady  Eleanor 
against  me,"  raved  Miles. 

"Indeed,  I  seek  nothing  of  the  kind." 

"When  I  called  upon  her  this  morning,  she  de 
clined  to  see  me,"  said  Miles,  savagely.  "Yes 
terday  she  received  me  with  the  utmost  kindness ; 
to-day  she  discards  me.  I  owe  all  this  to  you." 

"If  you  will  excuse  me,  I  think  you  owe  it  to 
yourself." 

"Don't  taunt  me.  You  have  done  your  worst 
already.  You  have  invited  the  Lady  Eleanor  to 
go  to  England  in  your  yacht.  You  have  seen  her; 
you  know  her.  Shall  I  not  hear,  when  I  reach 
England,  that  she  is  engaged  to  you?" 

"No!"  exclaimed  Larry,  vehemently.     "Or,  if 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       187 

you  do,  contradict  it  on  the  instant;  for  it  will 
not  be  true.  You  know  that  I  am  engaged  to 
Blanche  Fennimore." 

' 'Blanche  Fennimore!"  sneered  Miles;  "what 
is  she  but  a  beggar?" 

"That  does  not  alter  the  case." 

"Lady  Eleanor  is  young,  beautiful,  and  the 
daughter  of  an  earl.  She  consents  to  take  pas 
sage  in  your  yacht  to  England.  Am  I  fool 
enough  to  suppose  you  would  not  discard  Blanche 
Fennimore  for  such  a  prize  as  Lady  Eleanor?" 

"Most  certainly,  I  would  not  discard  her  for  a 
countess,  a  duchess,  or  even  a  princess." 

"You  may  think  so  now;  but  I  know  the  world 
better,"  growled  Miles.  "Then  you  used  every 
effort  yesterday,  at  dinner,  to  prejudice  the  peo 
ple  there  against  me. " 

"You  should  not  charge  me  with  the  conse 
quence  of  your  own  action,  Miles.  I  am  willing 
to  forgive  and  forget  the  wrong  you  have  done 
me," 

"Are  you,  indeed?"  sneered  Miles. 

"When  you  charged  me  with  being  an  impos 
tor,  yesterday,  I  only  defended  myself.  I  could 
do  no  less.  And  I  think  I  proved  all  I  said  by 


188  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

Sir  Philip's  letters.  Your  plans  have  miscarried ; 
but  you  should  blame  yourself,  not  me.  You  lost 
your  yacht  in  an  attempt  to  kidnap  me,  and  dis 
pose  of  me,  in  what  manner  I  know  not.  If  you 
have  lost  the  Lady  Eleanor,  it  is  the  result  of 
your  own  misconduct.  I  have  offered  to  compro 
mise  with  you,  and  you  refuse.  I  can  do  no 
more." 

"Give  me  no  more  of  your  cant.  You  will 
not  sell  your  yacht  for  double  her  value?" 

"I  will  not.  But  I  will  give  you  a  berth  in 
her,  so  that  you  may  be  with  Lady  Eleanor  dur 
ing  the  voyage  to  England." 

"You  know  that  I  will  not  go  in  the  same 
vessel  with  you.  I  must  go  to  New  York  in  the 
Unicorn." 

"I  have  offered  the  best  I  can,"  added  Larry. 

Miles  abused  him  for  some  time  longer;  but 
my  friend  was  patient  and  mild,  and  not  once 
did  he  exhibit  any  anger.  He  was  very  firm  in 
the  maintenance  of  his  own  rights,  but  willing  to 
sacrifice  a  great  deal,  even  for  one  who  had  used 
him  so  meanly.  His  conduct  seemed  to  be  the 
direct  fruit  of  his  two  days'  study  of  the  Bible, 


THE    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER. 

of  which  he  had  spoken  so  enthusiastically  to  me. 
Suddenly  Miles  rose  and  left  the  house. 

4 'Can  I  do  any  different,  Phil?"  he  asked,  as 
his  cousin  departed. 

"No.  I  think  you  have  done  all  that  a  Chris 
tian  can  do.  You  are  willing  to  forgive  him,  and 
to  do  all  you  can  for  him,  even  at  great  sacritice 
to  yourself,"  I  replied. 

"I  am  happy  to  find  you  still  here,"  said  Cap 
tain  McFordingham,  returning  at  this  moment. 
"The  steamer  has  to  wait  for  the  tide,  and  will 
not  come  in  for  an  hour.  Ah,  gentlemen!" 

The  tall  captain  suddenly  gave  a  tragic  start, 
and  looked  very  savage,  as  he  regarded  the  half- 
filled  wine-glasses  before  us. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  gentlemen;  but  I  do  not 
wish  to  consider  myself  insulted,"  continued  he. 
"You  decline  to  drink  with  me,  but  with  another 
more  favored  individual  you  waive  all  scruples. 
I  fought  a  duel  in  India  with  an  officer  who  re 
fused  to  drink  with  me  under  circumstances  less 
glaring  than  the  present." 

"Perhaps  I  shall  enable  you  to  spare  some  of 
your  valuable  breath  if  I  say  that  we  have  not 
drank;  that  we  declined  to  drink  with  this  gentle- 


190  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OK 

man,  as  we  did  with  you,"  added  Larry,  rather 
impatiently,  for  Captain  McFordingham's  humoi 
was  becoming  rather  stupid. 

"Pardon  me,  sir;  but  your  glasses  are  half 
emptied,"  said  the  captain. 

"What  isn't  in  them  now,  is  on  the  table.  But, 
excuse  me,  I  think  you  said  you  had  business  with 
us." 

"A  gentleman  drinks  with  a  gentleman,  and 
only  with  a  gentleman.  To  refuse  to  drink  with 
a  gentleman,  is  equivalent  to  telling  him  that  he  is 
no  gentleman.  You  declined  to  drink  with  me,  on 
the  plea  that  you  were  both  teetotalers ;  and  I 
accepted  the  plea,  refraining  from  drinking  my 
self.  I  find  that  you  took  wine  with  another,  in 
form  if  not  in  substance.  Am  I  to  understand 
that  you  consider  me  no  gentleman?"  demanded 
Captain  McFordingham,  with  a  lowering  brow. 

"Certainly  you  are  to  understand  nothing  of  the 
sort,"  replied  Larry,  rather  impatiently. 

"And  you,  sir?"  added  the  captain,  turning 
to  me. 

"Certainly  not,"  I  answered. 

"Not  a  gentleman?" 

"You  are  not  to  understand  that  I  consider  you 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       191 

no  gentleman.  I  express  no  opinion  whatever  on 
that  subject,"  I  added. 

"Then  we  will  reserve  the  whole  question  for 
another  occasion,"  said  the  captain,  pompously. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be  a  purveyor  of  provis 
ions,  vegetables  and  fruits;  and  I  offer  my  services 
in  supplying  your  yacht  with  any  of  these  articles 
you  may  desire,  in  large  or  in  small  quantities. " 

I  looked  at  Captain  Gregory  McFordingham 
after  this  communication,  and  I  could  hardly  re 
frain  from  laughing  in  his  face.  The  important 
business  introduced  with  such  a  flourish,  was  the 
sale  of  a  barrel  or  two  of  potatoes,  a  box  of  oranges 
and  a  few  cabbages. 

"If  this  is  your  business,  I  must  refer  you  to 
Captain  Farringford,"  laughed  Larry. 

The  tall  gentleman  looked  at  me. 

"And,  in  turn,  I  must  refer  you  to  the  steward 
of  the  yacht,  "I  added. 

"I  always  prefer  to  deal  directly  with  princi 
pals,"  said  the  purveyor  of  cabbages. 

"In  this  instance  the  steward  is  the  principal," 
I  replied.  "If  he  wants  any  cabbages  or  turnips, 
he  has  the  commercial  cunning  to  enable  him  to 
purchase  them." 


192  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OK 

"I  shall  take  the  liberty  to  call  upon  him  imme 
diately." 

"If  you  have  no  further  business  with  us,  1  shall 
beg  the  privilege  of  saying  good  morning,"  said 
Larry. 

"I  beg  your  pardon;  but  I  have  another  matter 
in  my  mind.  I  wish  to  return  to  England.  The 
business  of  purveying  is  not  as  profitable  here  as  I 
had  been  led  to  suppose,  and  I  purpose  to  abandon 
the  islands.  I  concluded  that  when  my  desire  be 
came  known  to  you,  it  would  procure  me  an  invi 
tation  to  take  passage  in  your  yacht." 

"My  dear  Captain  McFordingham,  we  haven't 
a  berth  in  the  Blanche  which  is  long  enough  for 
you,"  protested  Larry;  "and  I  trust  that  this  fact 
will  be  deemed  a  sufficient  excuse  for  not  inviting 
you." 

"Perhaps  you  misunderstand  me.  I  am  aware 
that  your  cabin  is  already  full ;  and  I  shall  be  quite 
content  with  a  place  in  the  steerage,  in  the  forecas 
tle,  or  on  the  kitchen  floor,"  added  the  purveyor. 

"My  dear  sir,  I  could  not  think  of  inviting  a 
person  of  your  distinguished  character  to  take  a 
long  voyage  with  me,  without  being  able  to  give 
him  suitable  accommodations.  I  fear  we  must 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       193 

decline  the  honor  of  your  company,"  continued 
Larry,  with  great  good-nature,  as  we  moved  to 
wards  the  door  of  the  tap-room. 

"Mr.  Grimsby,  this  is  the  third  time  you  have 
insulted  me  to-day,  and  I  demand  satisfaction," 
said  Captain  McFordingham,  savagely. 

"Good  morning,  sir,"  said  Larry,  as  we  walked 
out  into  the  street. 


IS 


194  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OB 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND  LARRY  TAKE  ANOTHER  TRAMP, 
AND   AN    AFFAIR    OF  HONOR  IMPENDS. 


a  moment,  Mr.  Grimsby.  The  wound- 
ed  honor  of  a  gentleman  is  not  to  be  healed 
so  easily,"  said  Captain  McFordingham,  placing 
his  hand  upon  the  shoulder  of  my  friend. 

"lam  not  aware,  sir,  that  I  have  wounded  your 
honor  in  any  manner,"  replied  Larry. 

"Three  times  you  have  intimated  that  I  am  no 
gentleman;  an  insult,  sir,  to  which  I  cannot 
submit." 

"I  assure  you  I  had  no  intention  of  insulting 
you,  and  am  not  yet  aware  that  1  have  done  so. 
If  I  have,  I  beg  your  pardon.  Good  morning." 

We  walked  towards  the  landing-place,  where 
our  boat  was  waiting  for  us  ;  but  we  were  closely 
followed  by  the  captain,  who,  it  seemed  plain 
enough,  was  iutent  on  picking  a  quarrel.  We 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       195 

stepped   into  the   boat,  and    were   pulled   to  the 
Blanche. 

"That  fellow  is  determined  to  get  up  a  quarrel,'5 
said  Larry. 

"He  hasn't  succeeded  so  far." 

"And  he  will  not.  He  amused  me  prodigiously 
at  first.  One  would  suppose  from  his  manner 
that  he  was  a  member  of  the  royal  family.  I 
don't  think  I  should  care  to  quarrel  with  him — he 
is  too  tall." 

"He  is  a  bully,  too,  and  doubtless  a  coward 
also." 

During  our  absence  theBlanche  had  been  dressed 
with  the  colors  of  all  nations,  and  presented  a 
very  striking  appearance.  Larry  had  invited  the 
governor,  Lady  Eleanor,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Langford, 
and  others,  to  dine  on  board  that  afternoon,  and 
we  found  the  preparations  in  a  very  forward  state. 
At  four  o'clock  the  party  came  off  and  we  enter 
tained  them  in  princely  style.  Miles  had  been 
invited,  in  spite  of  his  bad  conduct;  but,  true 
to  his  malicious  nature,  not  even  the  attractions 
of  Lady  Eleanor's  presence  could  induce  him  to 
come;  though,  I  think,  no  one  mourned  his 
absence.  The  steamer  had  come  into  the  harbor, 


196  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

and  was  to  sail  the  next  day  at  noon,  when  the  tide 
turned.  We  had  decided  to  get  under  way  at  the 
same  time,  after  ascertaining  that  our  passengers 
would  be  ready. 

The  next  morning  Larry  and  I  made  another 
tramp  on  the  island,  for  we  enjoyed  these  walks, 
and  the  delicious  air,  very  much.  We  went  as  far 
as  the  Martello  Tower,  at  the  western  extremity 
of  St.  George,  and  on  our  return  ascended  Cherry 
stone  Hill.  On  a  cliff  below  we  seated  ourselves, 
to  rest  after  the  fatigues  of  the  morning,  for 
we  had  yet  a  couple  of  hours  to  spare.  The  place 
we  had  chosen  was  a  retired  spot,  but  so  pleas 
ant  that  we  wished  our  departure  was  to  be  de 
layed  a  few  days  longer,  that  we  might  visit  it 
again.  We  enjoyed  the  quiet  of  the  scene  for  an 
hour,  talking  over  our  plans  for  the  future,  and 
then  started  for  the  harbor.  We  had  gone  but  a 
short  distance  when  we  discovered  Miles  Grimsby 
and  Captain  McFordingham  approaching  us. 

"They  run  together,  now,"  said  Larry. 

"I  see  they  do;  but  I  didn't  more  than  suspect 
it  before,"  I  replied. 

"I  would  rather  avoid  than  meet  them,"  added 
Larry. 


Tirj    TRAMPS    OF    A    TRAVELLER.  197 

"So  would  I,"  and  turning  to  the  left,  we  took 
a  path  which  would  have  led  us  away  from  our 
quarrelsome  acquaintances. 

But  Miles  and  the  captain  quickened  their  pace, 
and  soon  placed  themselves  in  front  of  us,  so  that 
escape,  without  actually  taking  to  our  heels,  which 
both  of  us  regarded  as  rather  undignified  for  the 
owner  and  captain  of  a  first-class  yacht,  was  im 
possible. 

"I  am  glad,  gentlemen,  that  you  have  accepted 
the  summons  contained  in  my  letter  of  last  even 
ing,"  said  Captain  McFordingham. 

'-What  letter?"  asked  Larry. 

"My  letter." 

"I  have  received  no  letter  from  you,  or  any  one 
else,  for  that  matter,  since  I  came  to  the  Ber 
mudas." 

"Then  why  are  you  here?"  demanded  Captain 
McFordingham. 

"We  came  out  for  a  walk." 

"Am  I  to  understand  that  you  deny  having  re 
ceived  my  letter,  in  which  I  referred  you  to  my 
friend,  Mr.  Miles  Grimsby,  who  is  here  present, 
to  act  for  me?" 

"I  did  not  receive  it,  and  have  no  idea  of  its 
contents,"  answered  Larry. 


198  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

"Perhaps  it  is  of  little  consequence  whether  you 
received  it  or  not,  since  you  are  here  with  your 
friend,"  added  the  captain,  magnificently.  "I 
trust  you  are  prepared  to  give  me  the  satisfaction 
I  require." 

"I  don't  qiiite  understand  you." 

"In  one  word,  my  note  to  you  was  a  challenge." 

"In  another  word,  then,  I  decline  it,"  an 
swered  Larry,  promptly  and  decidedly. 

"Am  I  to  understand  that  you  refuse  to  give  me 
the  satisfaction  that  a  gentleman  has  a  right  to 
demand?" 

"That  depends  upon  the  nature  of  the  satisfac 
tion  demanded." 

"You  insulted  me — " 

"Excuse  me,  sir;  I  did  not  insult  you.  The 
statement  is  absurd." 

"Absurd?" 

"Ridiculously  so." 

"You  declined  to  drink  with  me,  and  did  drink 
with  another." 

"I  did  not  drink  with  another." 

"Mr.  Grimsby,  may  I  appeal  to  you?" 

"The  glasses  were  all  filled,  and  I  noticed  af 
terwards  that  they  were  only  half  full.  I  presume 
they  drank,"  replied  Miles,  sourly. 


THE    TRAMPS    OF   A   TRAVELLER. 

"It  is  useless  to  argue  the  point,  Larry,"  I  in 
terposed.  "Let  us  return  to  the  town." 

"Not  till  you  have  given  me  the  satisfaction  I 
demand, ' '  bullied  the  tall  captain.  '  'Recognizing 
this  gentleman  as  the  one  who  spoke  to  you  during 
our  interview,  he  was  kind  enough  to  be  my 
friend."  And  he  bowed  to  Miles. 

Captain  McFordingham  went  over  the  argument 
by  which  he  reasoned  himself  into  the  belief  that 
he  had  been  insulted.  Of  course  we  understood 
now  that  the  fellow  had  been  employed  by  Miles 
to  provoke  a  quarrel  with  Larry,  and  to  make  the 
most  of  it.  The  time  seemed  to  be  chosen  just  at 
the  moment  when  the  Unicorn  was  to  sail  for  New 
York. 

"I  decline,  on  principle,  to  engage  in  a  duel," 
said  Larry. 

"But  if  you  don't  give  me  satisfaction,  I  shall 
be  compelled  to  take  it,"  replied  the  captain 
loftily. 

"Though  I  refuse  to  fight  a  duel,  I  know  how 
to  defend  myself  when  attacked,"  replied  Larry. 
"I  am  not  a  non-resistant." 

"I  took  you  for  a  brave  man;  I  trust  I  shall  not 
find  you  a  coward." 


200  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

"I  am  not  coward  enough  to  fight  a  duel.  If  I 
have  done  wrong,  I  can  ask  God  to  forgive  me ;  if 
I  have  injured  my  fellow-man,  I  can  ask  him  to 
forgive  me." 

4 'We  are  losing  time,"  interposed  Miles,  ner 
vously,  as  he  glanced  at  his  watch.  "If  there 
is  any  business  to  be  done  here,  let  it  be  done 
at  once." 

"The  gentleman  who  has  insulted  me  is  evi 
dently  a  coward,"  said  the  captain  with  a  sneer. 

"I  have  nothing  to  do  with  your  quarrel,  and 
am  only  here  as  your  friend,  Captain  McFor ding- 
ham.  My  time  is  precious,"  added  Miles,  pro 
ducing  a  pair  of  large  pistols.  "I  suppose  Cap 
tain  Farringford  is  to  be  regarded  as  the  friend  of 
Mr.  Lawrence  Grimsby." 

"I  am  his  friend." 

"Let  us  walk  over  to  the  cliff,  where  we  are 
not  likely  to  be  disturbed,"  replied  Miles,  as  he 
led  the  way. 

I  followed  him,  and  in  a  moment  we  were  on 
the  rock  overlooking  the  sea,  with  a  precipice 
beneath  us. 

"You  have  the  choice  of  weapons,  Captain  Far 
ringford;  but,  as  it  was  not  supposable  that  you 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       201 

would  choose  anything  but  pistols,  in  these  days, 
I  brought  nothing  else .  Will  you  examine  them  ?" 

"I  will;"  and  I  took  the  two  pistols  in  my 
hand. 

"Are  they  loaded?"  I  asked. 

"They  are  not.  In  an  affair  of  honor  the  pis 
tols  should  be  loaded  in  the  presence  of  both 
seconds,"  replied  Miles. 

"Have  you  any  other  pistols  with  you,  in  case 
I  decline  to  accept  these?"  I  asked. 

4 'I  have  not.  They  are  regular  duelling  pistols, 
and  to  reject  them  would  be  to  resort  to  a  mean 
subterfuge." 

"Precisely  so,"  I  replied,  tossing  them  over 
the  cliff  into  the  sea. 

"Villain!"  exclaimed  Miles,  rushing  upon  me. 

"Mild  words,  if  you  please,"  I  replied,  holding 
up  my  hand  to  him,  to  deprecate  any  violence. 
"If  you  lay  your  hand  on  me,  I'll  throw  you  over 
after  them." 

Miles  retreated  a  step,  and  shouted  to  his  prin 
cipal.  He  was  apparently  afraid  that  I  would  put 
my  threat  in  execution.  Captain  McFordingham 
stalked  up  to  the  place  where  I  stood,  though,  as 
"discretion  is  the  better  part  of  valor,"  I  deemed 


202  SEA   AND   SHOEE,   OK 

it  advisable  to  retreat  a  short  distance  from  the 
edge  of  the  cliff. 

"You  called  me,  Mr.Grimsby,"  said.  he. 

"I  did,"  replied  Miles;  "and  I  have  to  an 
nounce  a  piece  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Lawrence  Grimsby's  second — " 

'  'I  object  to  being  called  a  second.  We  did  not 
come  here  to  fight  a  duel,  and  have  no  intention 
of  being  forced  into  such  an  affair,"  I  interposed, 
for,  now  that  the  pistols  were  at  the  bottom  of 
the  sea,  I  thought  it  better  to  insist  upon  our 
views  of  the  subject. 

"Captain  Farringford  has  thrown  the  pistols 
overboard,"  continued  Miles. 

"Thrown  them  overboard — has  he?"  And  the 
face  of  the  tall  captain  lowered.  "Cowards!" 

"That's  a  cheap  expletive,"  I  answered. 

"Honorable  dealing  was  not  to  be  expected 
from  cowards,"  sneered  Captain  McFordingham. 

"Of  course  we  are  not  to  submit  to  any  such  trif 
ling  as  this.  Our  honor  is  wounded,  and  satisfac 
tion  is  denied  us." 

Larry  laughed ;  he  could  not  help  it.  Perhaps 
he  would  not  have  laughed  if  I  had  not  thrown  the 
pistols  overboard.  But  I  sympathized  with  him, 


THE   TRAMPS   OF   A   TRAVELLER.  203 

though  other  considerations  had  some  effect  in 
controlling  my  risibles.  The  affair  was  a  farce  ,• 
but  I  could  not  forget  that  my  friend,  and  not  my 
self,  was  the  subject  of  wrath. 

"Come,  Larry,  we  will  return  to  the  town," 
said  I. 

"Not  yet,"  interposed  Captain  McFordingham. 
"I  am  not  to  be  trifled  with.  I  have  been  wound 
ed  in  my  honor,  and,  as  satisfaction  is  denied  me, 
I  intend  to  take  summary  vengeance.  Mr.  Law 
rence  Grimsby,  my  affair  is  with  you.  Captain 
Farringford  is  only  your  shadow.  When  he  has 
paid  me  six  pound  ten  for  the  pistols  he  threw 
into  the  sea,  I  shall  have  no  further  claim  upon 
him." 

"May  I  ask  what  you  mean  by  summary  ven 
geance?"  asked  Larry,  with  a  pleasant  smile. 

"I  mean  to  fljg  you  as  you  deserve.  1  mean  to 
teach  you  that  a  gentleman  cannot  be  insulted 
with  impunity.  I  mean  that  your  cowardly  con 
duct  shall  not  escape  its  just  retribution." 

"I  do  not  purpose  to  be  flogged,  Captain  Mc 
Fordingham,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  you  are  one 
foot  taller  than  I  am.  I  wish  to  avoid  a  quarrel, 
and  I  hope  to  be  able  to  do  so.  Speaking  of 


204  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OK 

cowards,  in  my  opinion  you  and  your  second,  as 
you  call  him,  though  he  is  really  your  principal 
and  your  employer,  came  out  here  to  do  me  harm. 
You  dogged  me,  and  are  determined  to  force  a 
quarrel  upon  me.  Permit  me  to  say  that  I  regard 
your  conduct  as  cowardly  in  the  extreme." 

"Do  you  mean  to  insult  me  again?"  demanded 
the  bully. 

"I  was  only  arguing  the  point.  You  expressed 
your  opinion  on  cowardice,  and  I  claim  the  privi 
lege  of  expressing  mine,"  replied  Larry,  with  his 
usual  good  nature.  "Having  done  so,  I  shall  bid 
you  good  morning  once  more." 

"Stop,  sir!  "  said  the  captain,  in  a  voice  which 
was  intended  to  be  very  stern  and  dignified. 

Larry  walked  towards  the  town,  and  I  started 
to  follow  him.  The  tall  ruffian,  finding  that  no 
further  attention  was  given  him,  laid  his  hand 
violently  upon  my  friend's  coat  collar.  I  sprang 
forward  to  assist  him,  for  he  was  a  couple  of  rods 
ahead  of  me. 

"Stop,"  said  Miles  to  me.  "You  cannot  inter 
fere  with  this  quarrel  any  further;"  and  at  the 
instant  he  laid  his  hand  upon  me. 

I  shook   him  off  in  the  twinkling   of   an  eye, 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       205 

whereat  he  sprang  upon  me  again,  his  anger  ex 
cited  to  the  maddest  pitch.  I  struck  him  then, 
but  not  till  then,  and  he  went  down,  for,  trembling 
for  the  safety  of  Larry  in  the  hands  of  such  a 
giant  as  the  bully,  my  blow  was  a  heavy  one.  I 
rushed  towards  my  friend  then,  but  saw  that  he 
had  no  need  of  any  assistance  from  me.  He 
stood  at  bay,  pointing  at  his  antagonist  the  revol 
ver,  which  I  had  insisted  he  should  carry  in 
his  pocket.  I  had  the  mate  to  it  myself,  and  I 
produced  it  now,  as  Miles,  picking  himself  up, 
rushed  upon  me  with  a  stone  in  his  hand.  The 
pistol  had  a  cooling  effect  upon  his  ardor,  and  he 
halted.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  scene,  in  its 
present  phase,  was  to  be  regarded  as  a  serious  or 
a  ludicrous  one;  but  Larry  and  I  each  covered 
his  man  with  the  muzzle  of  the  revolver.  The 
weapons  had  a  marvellous  effect  in  dampening  the 
ardor  of  the  fierce  combatants.  We  were  mas 
ters  of  the  situation. 

"Then  you  are  prepared  to  assassinate  us," 
said  Captain  McFordingham,  eyeing  the  revolver 
of  my  friend. 

"I  hope  you  will  not  make  it  necessary  for  us 
to  resort  to  so  unpleasant  an  expedient,"  answered 
Larry.  "It  is  your  next  move,  gentlemen." 


206  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"Being  armed  yourselves,  you  threw  our  weap 
ons  into  the  sea,"  replied  the  captain.  "Doubt 
less  this  is  your  idea  of  honorable  conduct." 

"I  do  not  know  that  it  is  of  any  use  to  waste 
words,"  added  Larry.  "You  introduced  yourself 
to  me  yesterday  with  the  intention  of  provoking 
a  quarrel.  On  the  most  ridiculous  pretence  you 
chose  to  consider  yourself  insulted.  You  came 
out  here  with  pistols;  but  I  don't  believe  you 
intended  to  fight  a  duel  any  more  than  I  did. 
You  have  not  the  courage  to  stand  up  before  a 
loaded  pistol.  If  you  purposed  to  go  through 
the  form  of  a  duel,  it  was  your  intention  to  fire 
before  the  word  was  given,  or  in  some  other  man 
ner  to  do  the  villainous  work  of  your  employer. 
You  have  my  view  of  the  matter,  and  I  have 
nothing  more  to  say,  except  to  inform  you  that 
I  am  prepared  to  defend  myself  under  all  cir 
cumstances." 

"You  are  in  a  situation  to  insult  me  just  now. 
If  we  ever  meet  again  —  and  we  shall  meet  again 
—  I  shall  teach  you  what  it  is  to  insult  a  gentle 
man.  It  is  cowardly  to  point  a  revolver  at  an 
unarmed  man." 

"It  would  be  if  he  were  not  an  assassin,"  re- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      207 

plied  Larry.  "Come,  Phil.  The  business  of  this 
occasion  seems  to  be  finished,  and  we  may  ad 
journ." 

With  the  pistols  still  in  our  hands,  we  walked 
slowly  towards  the  town  Neither  Miles  nor  his 
agent  offered  to  follow  us. 

"That  was  a  bold  act  of  yours,  Phil,  but  it 
saved  the  day  for  us,"  said  my  friend. 

"Throwing  the  pistols  overboard  was  a  very 
simple  expedient;  and  I  could  think  of  no  other 
way  to  stave  off  the  consequences,"  I  answered. 
"The  sooner  we  get  away  from  this  place,  the 
better." 

In  a  short  time  we  reached  the  landing-place, 
where  we  found  Lady  Eleanor  and  her  friends 
prepared  to  embark. 


208  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 


CHAPTER    XV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  AND   LARRY  WITNESS  THE  CAPTURE 
OF  A  MAN-EATER. 

WITH  our  passengers  came  the  governor  and 
other  friends  to  bid  them  adieu  on  board 
the  yacht. 

"We  have  been  waiting  for  you,'*  said  his 
excellency. 

"We  were  detained  by  a  disagreeable  incident 
near  Cherrystone  Hill,"  replied  Larry. 

"A  disagreeable  incident!  Pray,  what  was 
it?"  asked  the  governor. 

"It  was  nothing  less  than  an  attempt  to  com 
pel  me  to  fight  a  duel." 

"Mr.  Grimsby,  of  course." 

"He  was  not  to  be  the  principal,  for  I  don't 
think  Miles  considers  it  prudent  to  stand  before 
the  muzzle  of  a  loaded  pistol,"  laughed  Larry; 
"so  he  employed  a  gentleman  who  claims  to  be 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      209 

your  excellency's  friend  to  do  the  business  for 
him." 

"My  friend!     Who  could  it  be?" 

"His  name  is  Captain  Gregory  McFording- 
ham." 

"Pshaw!"  exclaimed  the  governor,  contempt 
uously.  "He  is  a  convict,  sentenced  to  transpor 
tation  for  ten  years." 

"Whew!"  added  Larry,  glancing  at  me.  "But 
he  was  a  captain  in  India,  I  understand." 

"Never.  Possibly  he  was  a  soldier  in  the  In 
dian  army.  I  don't  know.  He  was  the  footman 
of  Viscount  Bergamot,  and  was  sent  here  for  rob 
bing  his  master.  In  the  distinguished  families 
where  he  has  been  employed  he  picked  up  a 
knowledge  of  high  life,  and  a  vocabulary  of  high- 
sounding  phrases.  Somebody  here  nicknamed 
him  the  captain.  He  is  not  without  abilities; 
and,  as  his  sentence  has  nearly  expired,  he  was 
permitted  to  carry  on  business  for  himself  in  buy 
ing  and  selling  vegetables.  He  shall  be  taken 
care  of . " 

We  assisted  our  guests  into  the  boats,  and  on 
the  way  to  the  yacht  Larry  related  our  adven 
ture  to  the  governor.  It  was  as  evident  to  him 
14 


210  SEA   AND   SHOKE,  OR 

as  to  us  that  McFordingham  had  been  employed 
by  Miles  Grimsby;  and  he  promised  to  arrest 
both  of  them  on  his  return. 

"But  Miles  will  leave  in  this  steamer,"  sug 
gested  Larry. 

"I  will  see  that  he  does  not,"  said  the  gover 
nor. 

"I  hope  your  excellency  will  not  detain  him." 
added  my  friend.  "He  can  do  us  no  harm  now; 
and,  as  he  is  my  cousin,  I  have  no  desire  to  have 
him  punished." 

"You  are  too  lenient  towards  him.  I  half  ex 
pected  to  hear  of  a  challenge  after  that  affair  at 
my  table." 

"I  don't  think  Miles  himself  indulges  in  chal 
lenges,"  added  Larry.  "But,  please  don't  de 
tain  him;  if  you  do,  the  blame  of  it  will  rest 
upon  me.  I  only  hope  you  will  not  permit  the 
captain  to  leave  the  islands,  as  he  intends  to 
do." 

"He  is  well  known  on  board  of  the  steamer, 
and  her  officers  would  not  dare  to  take  him." 

Our  party  went  on  board  of  the  yacht,  where 
we  lunched.  Lady  Eleanor  was  in  high  spirits, 
and  was  more  delighted  than  ever  with  her  state- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       211 

room,  which  had  been  put  in  order  for  her  use. 
The  steamer  was  still  in  the  harbor,  though  she 
seemed  to  be  all  ready  to  sail.  The  governor's 
boat  came  alongside  the  yacht,  and  his  excellency 
took  leave  of  his  friends.  Our  fore  and  main  sails 
were  set,  and  the  anchor  hove  short. 

"Heave  up  the  anchor!"  I  called,  when  Larry 
told  me  he  was  ready.  "Stand  by  the  jib-hal 
yards." 

"Anchor  a  weigh,  sir,"  reported  Mr.  Spelter. 

"Hoist  the  jib!"  I  added. 

As  we  caught  the  gentle  breeze,  and  the  yacht 
began  to  move,  our  passengers  waved  their  hand 
kerchiefs,  and  the  governor  returned  the  salute. 
I  saw  that  his  excellency  pulled  to  the  steamer; 
but  I  was  confident  that  Miles  had  not  yet  gone 
on  board  of  her.  The  pilot  took  us  safely  through 
the  intricacies  of  the  navigation,  and  we  were  soon 
in  ten  fathoms  of  water  outside  the  islands. 

"Keep  her  northeast  by  east,"  I  said,  as  I 
gave  out  the  course. 

"No'theast  by  east,  sir,"  replied  the  quarter 
master,  at  the  wheel. 

"This  is  perfectly  delightful,  Mr.  Grimsby," 
exclaimed  Ln;ly  Elinor,  when  the  pilot  had  left 
us. 


212  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

"I  think  so  myself,"  replied  Larry. 

"It  is  so  much  pleasanter  than  a  steamer  I 
There  is  no  clanging  of  machinery,  and  no  odor 
of  oil.  Really,  it  seema  to  me  like  sailing  in  a 
fairy  barge." 

"We  must  not  crow  till  we  get  out  of  the 
woods,"  I  ventured  to  suggest.  "Xi  we  should 
have  such  a  storm  as  we  had  coming  down,  I'm 
afraid  your  ladyship  would  not  enjoy  it." 

"I  like  storms;  they  are  so  grand  and  beauti 
ful,"  she  replied. 

"What's  that  boat?"  asked  Larry. 

It  had  just  come  out  from  behind  a  reef,  and 
contained  two  men.  I  examined  the  persons  in 
the  boat  with  a  glass. 

"One  of  them  is  McFordingham,"  I  sa^d,  when 
I  had  made  out  the  long,  lank  figure  of  the  cap 
tain. 

"Then  Miles  must  be  the  other,"  added  Larry. 

"What  are  they  doing  out  here?" 

"They  have  come  out  here  to  take  the  steamer, 
without  a  doubt.  Probably  they  were  afraid  the 
governor  would  hear  about  the  affair  at  Cherry 
stone  Hill,  and  put  them  in  the  calaboose  for  their 
conduct." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      213 

"But  the  steamer  won't  take  McFordingham, 
who  is  a  convict. " 

"Certainly  not." 

"Pray  what's  that  black  thing  in  the  water?" 
asked  Lady  Eleanor,  as  she  pointed  to  an  obj^t 
only  a  few  yards  astern  of  the  yacht. 

"That's  the  back-fin  of  a  shark,"  I  replied. 

"Isn't  that  the  same  fellow  that  was  waiting  fcJ 
me  the  other  day?"  asked  Larry.     "I  should  cei 
tainly  have  dropped  into  the  water  if  Captain  Gar 
board  had  not  shown  me  that  shark." 

"Is  it  really  a  shark?"  added  her  ladyship. 

"There  isn't  the  slightest  doubt  of  it." 

"A  regular  man-eater,  too,"  said  Mr.  Spelter. 

"I  should  like  to  see  more  of  him,"  continued 
Lady  Eleanor,  straining  her  eyes  to  make  out  the 
outline  of  the  fish,  which  swam  on  the  surface  of 
the  water. 

"So  should  I,"  replied  Larry.  "I  don't  want 
that  fellow  to  follow  us  all  the  way  to  England. 
He's  a  blackguard,  and  a  dangerous  companion. 
If  any  one  should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  fall  over 
board,  the  rascal  would  gobble  him  up." 

"It  is  a  bad  sign  to  have  a  shark  following  a 
vessel,"  said  Spelter. 


214  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

"I  don't  care  for  the  sign,  but  I  don't  like  the 
fellow,"  added  Larry. 

"But  I  can't  see  him,"  said  Lady  Eleanor. 

"We  will  catch  him  if  you  say  so,  Mr.  Grims- 
by,"  continued  the  mate. 

"Can  you  do  it?" 

"To  be  sure  we  can.  Our  owner  last  year  used 
to  go  a  sharking  every  season  down  to  Nantucket 
and  the  Vineyard.  We  have  all  the  gear  on 
board — shark-hooks,  grains,  lances." 

"Catch  him,  then.  Sharks  are  the  natural  ene 
mies  of  mankind — the  pirates  of  the  ocean,"  re 
plied  Larry. 

"Mr.  Cheeseman,  you  can  get  up  the  shark- 
hooks,  and  rig  the  tackle  for  that  fellow,"  said  the 
mate. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  answered  the  second  mate,  ap 
parently  pleased  with  the  anticipated  sport. 

"That's  a  big  fellow,"  continued  Mr.  Spelter. 

"He  isn't  less  than  twenty  feet  long,  and  may 
be  thirty.  He  would  bite  a  man  in  two  as  a 
chicken  does  a  worm,  and  only  make  two  mouth- 
fuls  of  him.  He  is  an  ugly  fellow." 

"That  he  is,"  I  replied.  "A  bigger  one  than 
that  followed  the  Michigan,  when  I  was  in  her, 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      215 

for  a  week.     Shall  we  lower   the   mainsail,  Mr. 
Spelter,  and  haul  him  in  over  the  stern?" 

"Yes,  sir;  but  we  must  kill  him  before  we  get 
him  on  deck,  or  he  will  break  things.  I  have 
no  doubt  he  weighs  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred 
pounds." 

"Probably  he  does.  Lower  the  mainsail  and 
top  up  the  boom.  We  can  rig  a  snatch-block 
under  it,  and  then  swing  him  in  by  a  rope  made 
fast  to  his  tail." 

The  mainsail  was  lowered  and  carefully  secured. 
The  boom  was  topped  up  as  far  as  it  would  go, 
and  the  snatch-block  rigged  under  it.  The  shark- 
hook  was  a  very  large  one,  with  a  fathom  of  chain 
attached  to  it,  so  that  the  voracious  monster  should 
not  bite  off  the  line.  It  was  then  made  fast  to  a 
strong  rope,  and  baited  with  a  strip  of  salt  pork. 
Cheeseman,  as  he  was  an  old  hand  at  the  business, 
took  the  line,  while  six  of  the  crew  were  mustered 
on  the  quarter-deck  to  assist.  Mr.  Spelter  stood 
by  with  the  grains  in  his  hand,  to  be  used  when 
the  shark  was  hauled  up.  Larry  had  given  his 
arm  to  Lady  Eleanor,  and  they  stood  at  the  taff- 
rail,  where  they  could  witness  the  whole  operation 
to  the  best  advantage. 


216  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

4 'There  comes  the  steamer,"  said  Larry.  "That 
boat  is  hailing  her." 

"I  see  she  is,"  I  replied. 

Even  the  interest  we  all  felt  in  the  capture  of 
the  shark  did  not  prevent  me  from  watching  the 
boat.  The  steamer  stopped  her  wheels,  and  one 
of  the  two  men  was  taken  on  board  of  her. 
Through  the  glass  I  saw  McFordingham  attempt 
to  go  up  the  accommodation  ladder,  but  he  was 
driven  back  into  his  boat.  The  steamer  started 
her  wheels  again,  backing,  apparently  to  avoid 
some  rock  towards  which  she  was  drifting.  I 
could  not  help  uttering  a  sharp  cry  when  I  saw 
the  wheel  strike  the  boat,  for  I  expected  to  see 
the  tall  captain  crushed  beneath  it.  But  the 
wheels  stopped,  and  McFordingham  pulled  out 
of  the  way.  I  could  just  hear  the  sharp  words 
that  followed,  and  then  the  steamer  started  on 
her  voyage.  The  boat,  instead  of  pulling  towards 
the  harbor,  headed  for  the  yacht.  The  sea  was 
smooth,  and  there  was  hardly  a  breath  of  air.  I 
saw  that  what  I  should  call  a  thunder-shower  at 
home  was  coming  up  in  the  west,  and,  as  it  might 
be  attended  by  a  squall,  I  was  rather  anxious  to 
have  the  shark  disposed  of;  though,  as  the  wind 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       217 

•was  dying  out,  we  could  hardly  increase  our  dis 
tance  from  the  islands  before  it  came. 

Cheeseman  dropped  the  baited  hook  in  the 
water,  and  the  shark  had  swum  up  to  it  as  soon 
as  it  touched  the  surface.  He  toyed  with  it  for 
a  moment,  and  then,  rolling  over  upon  one  side, 
he  took  it  into  his  mouth.  After  waiting  a  mo 
ment  until  the  monster  had  the  bait  fairly  between 
his  teeth,  the  second  mate  gave  a  tremendous 
twitch,  and  fairly  hooked  the  game.  The  line 
had  been  passed  over  the  snatch-block  on  the 
boom,  and  the  six  men  on  the  quarter-deck  had 
fast  hold  of  it.  The  instant  the  shark  felt  the 
hook,  he  commenced  a  series  of  the  most  violent 
struggles,  lashing  the  water  to  a  white  foam. 
His  struggles  were  fearful,  and  Lady  Eleanor 
was  glad  to  retreat  from  her  position  at  the  taff- 
rail. 

"Now,  walk  away,"  said  Cheeseman,  when  the 
shark  was  hooked. 

But  it  was  not  so  easy,  even  for  six  men,  to 
walk  away  with  the  line.  The  entire  crew  had 
come  aft  to  witness  the  sport,  and  half  a  dozen 
more  of  the  hands  took  hold  of  the  rope.  The 
shark  was  slowly  raised  from  the  water;  but  not 


218  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OK 

for  an  instant  were  his  fierce  struggles  inter 
mitted.  He  came  up  with  his  mouth  wide  open, 
exhibiting  his  rows  of  frightful  teeth,  which  it 
made  us  shudder  to  look  upon.  He  was  not  yet 
in  position  to  be  lanced,  and  Spelter  went  forward 
for  something.  I  saw  him  go  below,  and  pres 
ently  he  returned  to  the  quarter-deck  with  a 
shovelful  of  live  coals  from  the  cook's  stove. 

4 'What's  that  for?"    demanded  Larry,  sharply. 

"I  am  going  to  give  him  a  dose  of  hot  drops," 
replied  the  excited  mate,  laughing  at  the  idea 
Which  he  was  in  the  act  of  carrying  out. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

''I'm  going  to  throw  this  shovelful  of  live  coals 
down  the  shark's  throat,"  answered  the  mate, 
pushing  his  way  towards  the  taffrail. 

"Stop,  Mr.  Spelter,"  shouted  Larry,  sternly. 

"Yes,  sir.  I'll  wait  for  you,  so  that  you  and 
the  lady  can  see  the  fun,"  added  the  mate. 

<  'I  don't  want  to  see  it.     Stop  1 " 

"What,  sir?" 

"Don't  you  do  it.  Throw  the  coals  over  the 
side.  I  will  have  nothing  of  that  kind  done 
here." 

"Why  not,  sir?" 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TKAVELLER.      219 

"The  shark  shall  be  killed,  but  not  tortured. 
I  won't  have  anything  like  cruelty  perpetrated 
before  my  eyes." 

Mr.  Spelter  threw  the  coals  over  the  side,  and 
seemed  to  be  amazed  and  sheepish  at  the  inter 
ference  of  the  owner. 

"Kill  the  shark  as  quick  as  you  can,  Mr.  Spel 
ter,"  added  Larry.  "Don't  torture  nor  torment 
him." 

"I  never  saw  anybody  before  that  was  willing 
to  take  the  part  of  a  shark,"  replied  the  mate,  as 
he  took  the  long  lance  in  his  hand. 

"I  do  not  believe  in  cruelty  to  any  animal;  and 
I  will  not  suffer  it  in  my  presence,  when  I  have 
the  means  to  prevent  it,"  said  Larry. 

By  this  time  the  shark  had  been  hauled  up  snug 
to  the  snatch-block.  But  he  still  struggled  fear 
fully. 

"Now  punch  him,  Mr.  Spelter,"  said  Cheese- 
man. 

"That  I  will,"  replied  the  mate,  as  he  thrust 
the  lance  into  the  shark,  and  repeated  the  opera 
tion  a  dozen  times. 

After  a  while  —  and  it  was  a' long  while,  for 
the  monster  held  on  to  life  with  wonderful  te- 


220  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

nacity —  the  shark  was  killed.  Lady  Eleanor  had 
an  opportunity  to  examine  him  at  her  leisure,  and 
we  decided  not  to  take  him  on  board.  One  of  the 
men  cut  away  the  hook  from  his  mouth  with  an 
axe,  and  the  carcass  of  the  shark  dropped  into  the 
water,  to  be  the  food  of  others  of  his  kind. 

During  the  excitement  over  the  shark  I  had 
kept  a  sharp  lookout  upon  the  weather.  I  had 
sent  a  couple  of  hands  to  lower  the  jib  and  flying- 
jib,  and  to  stand  by  the  foresail-halyards.  There 
was  not  a  breath  of  air,  and  I  was  satisfied  that 
we  should  have  a  smart  squall. 

"Blanche,  ahoy!"  shouted  a  voice  from  astern 
of  the  yacht. 

I  turned,  and  saw  McFordingham  pulling  with 
all  his  might  towards  us.  The  bow  of  his  boat 
was  badly  stove. 

"Haul  down  the  foresail,"  I  shouted,  as  I  dis 
covered  the  squall  coming  down  upon  us. 

At  this  moment  McFordingham  came  alongside, 
and  leaped  upon  the  deck  of  the  yacht.  Of  course 
I  could  not  object,  for  his  battered  boat  could  not 
have  stood  it  for  five  minutes  in  a  sharp  sea. 
The  lightning  flashed  and  the  thunder  roared  as  I 
had  seldom  seen  before.  Along  the  sea  some- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       221 

thing  like  a  great  cloud  of  fog  seemed  to  sweep 
on  its  way  towards  us.  In  an  instant  it  overtook 
us.  It  was  the  squall,  stirring  up  the  water  and 
driving  the  spray  in  the  air  as  it  advanced. 

"Hard  down  your  helm!  "  I  called  to  the  quar 
termaster,  as  the  blast  struck  the  yacht. 

She  came  up  head  to  it,  and  we  looked  into  the 
teeth  of  the  squall.  As  every  sail  was  furled,  it 
did  us  no  harm,  and  was  over  in  a  few  moments. 
Then  the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents,  and  our 
guests  fled  to  the  cabin;  but  Lady  Eleanor  de 
clared  that  the  squall  was  magnificent. 


222  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

EN  WHICH   PHIL  AND  OTHERS  ARE  CONFOUNDED   BY 
A    MYSTERY. 

I  DID  not  go  below  when  the  rain  began  to 
pour  down  in  torrents,  but  clothed  myself  in 
a  rubber  suit,  and  kept  a  sharp  lookout  for  any 
peril  that  might  be  lurking  near  the  yacht.  I  had 
too  often  walked  the  deck  in  storm  and  gale  to 
heed  the  exposure.  Drifting  astern  of  us  I  saw 
the  battered  boat  of  McFordingham,  now  half  full 
of  water ;  but  its  late  occupant  had  gone  below. 
If  he  had  not  been  on  board,  I  should  have  hoisted 
sail,  and  laid  our  course  again;  but  I  could  not 
think  of  carrying  the  fellow  off  from  the  penal  ser 
vitude  to  which  he  had  been  sentenced,  even  if  I 
had  been  willing  to  endure  his  presence  during 
the  voyage.  It  was  my  intention  to  run  up  to  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor,  and  put  him  on  shore. 
In  half  an  hour  the  rain  ceased  to  fall,  but  we 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       223 

heard  the  thunder  still  booming  down  to  leeward 
of  us.  I  called  all  hands,  and  set  the  jib  and  main 
sail,  under  which,  with  a  gentle  breeze,  we  ran 
towards  the  islands  again.  McFordingham,  with 
out  any  invitation,  had  gone  below  as  soon  as  he 
came  on  board.  It  was  not  necessary  for  me  to 
ask  him  to  explain  his  movements  since  we  parted 
at  Cherrystone  Hill.  He  had  not  deemed  it  pru 
dent  to  return  to  the  town  after  the  events  on  the 
cliff.  Perhaps,  if  I  had  not  taken  the  precaution 
to  throw  the  pistols  overboard,  Larry,  and  pos 
sibly  myself,  might  have  been  shot;  and,  with  no 
particular  warning  from  the  governor,  Miles  and 
his  companion  might  have  departed  in  the  steamer 
before  our  absence  was  discovered  by  our  friends. 
As  my  friend  and  myself  went  to  the  town  first, 
it  was  not  safe  for  them  to  do  so;  and  they  had 
taken  a  boat  at  some  other  point,  intercepting  the 
steamer  as  she  came  out.  Miles  had  been  re- 
voived  on  board,  but  a  passage  was  refused  to  his 
companion,  though,  as  I  saw  myself,  he  had  per 
sisted  in  attempting  to  go  up  the  side  of  the 
vessel,  apparently  after  the  order  to  back  her 
had  been  given.  I  concluded  that  he  had  pulled 
for  the  Blanche  with  the  expectation  of  going  to 
England  in  her. 


224  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

4 'Where  is  that  man?"  I  asked,  when  we  had 
got  under  way. 

"Who  —  Longshanks?"  added  Spelter. 

"Yes.     We  must  get  rid  of  him." 

"In  the  forecastle,  I  suppose,  sir." 

"Send  for  him." 

In  a  few  moments  the  convict  appeared.  As 
he  came  up  the  ladder  I  saw  him  look  about  him, 
and  he  did  not  seem  to  be  pleased  when  he  dis 
covered  that  the  yacht  was  headed  towards  the 
islands. 

"At  your  service,  captain,"  said  he,  touching 
the  little  cap  on  his  head.  "You  sent  for  me." 

"I  did." 

"But  allow  me  to  suggest  that  your  yacht  is 
headed  the  wrong  way,"  added  he. 

"Our  course,  just  now,  is  laid  for  your  benefit. 
I  believe  no  invitation  was  extended  to  you  to 
come  on  board  of  the  yacht." 

"You  are  quite  right,  Captain  Farringford;  and 
for  this  breach  of  courtesy  I  must  tender  my  apol 
ogy,"  he  replied,  bowing  with  respectful  defer 
ence. 

"Why  did  you  pull  for  the  Blanche  when  you 
were  nearer  the  shore?" 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       225 

« 'Because  I  saw  that  squall  coming,  and  couldn't 
pull  against  it.  I  should  have  been  swamped  in 
a  moment,  with  the  bows  of  the  boat  stove  in. 
Your  extensive  knowledge  of  maritime  matters 
will  tenable  you  at  once  to  see  the  force  of  this 
argument." 

"You  had  time  enough  to  pull  to  the  shore  be 
fore  the  squall  came." 

"I  could  not  know  how  much  time  I  had.  Be 
sides,  I  desire  to  visit  England;  and  that  steamer 
barbarously  refused  me  a  passage,  which  I  trust 
your  good  nature  will  not  permit  you  to  do." 

"You  over-estimate  my  good  nature,  Captain 
McFordingham.  Your  excellent  friend,  the  gov 
ernor,  informed  us  that  you  were  a  convict,  serv 
ing  out  a  penal  sentence  in  these  islands,  for 
robbing  your  master,  Lord  Bergamot,  whose  foot 
man  you  were." 

"i  acknowledge  that  I  was  the  victim  of  a  con 
spiracy.  I  was  not  the  footman  of  Lord  Berga 
mot —  you  see  to  what  slanders  the  unfortunate 
are  subjected  —  but  his  confidential  steward.  His 
lordship  was  a  young  man,  and  wild,  very  wild, 
Captain  Farringford.  He  got  into  a  broil  in  Lon 
don,  one  day,  with  another  nobleman,  and  the  case 
15 


226  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

went  to  the  courts.  Unfortunately,  I  was  called 
as  a  witness,  being  with  my  lord  at  the  time  of  the 
quarrel.  His  lordship  was  the  aggressor,  and  all 
the  blame  properly  rested  upon  him.  Under  the 
sanctity  of  an  oath,  what  could  I  do  but  tell  the 
truth?  I  appeal  to  you,  Captain  Farringford,  to 
say  whether  I  could  avoid  speaking  the  truth. 
As  a  gentleman,  1  always  speak  the  truth.  But 
especially  should  a  gentleman  do  so  under  the 
sanctity  of  an  oath.  Do  you  see  any  way,  captain, 
that  I  could  avoid  speaking  the  truth  ?  I  did  speak 
the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 
truth,  which,  as  a  gentleman  I  always  do.  Lord 
Bergamot  was  convicted  of  an  aggravated  assault, 
and,  besides  a  heavy  fine,  was  sentenced  to  prison 
for  thirty  days,  just  to  convince  the  common  peo 
ple  that  viscounts  are  no  better  than  other  citizens 
before  the  law  in  England.  Mark  the  conse 
quences,  Captain  Farringford.  During  the  ab 
sence  in  prison  of  my  lord,  I  took  care  that  his 
property  should  suffer  no  waste;  and,  having 
sent  a  portion  of  his  plate  and  jewelry  to  a  place 
of  greater  security,  I  was  prosecuted  for  embezzle 
ment,  and  sentenced  to  ten  years'  transportation. 
I  give  you  the  simple  fact,  captain,  and  leave  you 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TKAVELLEK.       227 

to  judge  whether  I  am  a  criminal  or  not.  I  in 
curred  the  wrath  of  Viscount  Bergamot,  and  here 
lam." 

"Of  course  you  have  told  that  story  to  your 
excellent  friend,  the  governor,"  I  added. 

"I  have,  sir;  but  he  is  an  official  under  the  gov 
ernment,  and  must  do  his  duty.  I  honor  him  for 
it,  sir.  But  his  excellency  is  fully  convinced  of 
my  innocence,  and  has  honored  me  with  his  con 
fidence  and  sympathy.  Though  it  would  not  be 
becoming  in  him,  as  the  representative  of  Hex- 
Majesty  in  these  islands,  to  say  so,  yet  the  great 
est  favor  you  could  do  him  would  be  to  extend  to 
me  an  invitation  to  visit  England  in  your  magnifi 
cent  yacht." 

"I'm  sorry  I  can't  oblige  his  excellency  in  this 
particular.  You  seem  to  have  forgotten  the  events 
in  the  vicinity  of  Cherrystone  Hill,"  I  suggested, 
amused  at  the  brazen  effrontery  of  the  fellow. 

"Under  the  circumstances  I  am  willing  to  accept 
the  apology  of  your  friend,  and  to  acknowledge 
entire  satisfaction  for  what  has  passed, "  he  re 
plied. 

"Are  you,  indeed?     You  are  very  obliging." 

"I  assure  you,  I  bear  no  malice.  When  I  give 
my  hand,  my  heart  goes  with  it." 


228  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

"Doubtless  you  are  very  affectionate." 
"I  am  naturally  of  a  confiding  nature;  and  I 
am  willing  to  own  that  this  has  led  me  into  mis 
takes  and  indiscretions.  But  I  cherish  no  malice. 
I  accept  the  apology  of  your  friend ,  and  I  should 
give  him  and  }rou  my  entire  confidence,  unreserved 
and  without  a  thought  of  ill." 

"You  are  very  kind.  I  suppose  it  does  not 
occur  to  you  that  it  was  at  all  irregular  to  waylay 
us  at  Cherrystone  Hill,  with  the  intention  of  shoot 
ing  us,"  I  suggested. 

"Everything  was  to  be  fair  and  upon  honor. 
Perhaps  my  wrongs  have  made  me  sensitive.  Your 
refusal  to  drink  with  me  was  an  insult ;  your  de 
clining  to  deal  with  me  aggravated  my  wrath, 
and  your  refusal  to  give  me  a  passage,  with  the 
ridicule  of  your  friend  of  my  manly  proportions, 
stung  me  to  the  soul.  I  know  I  am  sensitive; 
my  wrongs  have  made  me  so." 

"But  you  were  the  agent  of  Mr.  Miles  Grimsby." 
"I  beg  your  pardon;  I  was  not.  We  lodged 
at  the  same  house.  He  told  me  his  wrongs;  that 
your  friend  had  robbed  him  of  his  title  and  estates. 
With  my  confiding  nature  I  could  not  withhold  my 
sympathies  from  him.  Fired  with  indignation,  I 
sent  you  a  challenge.  We  met." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       229 

"We  met  by  accident  on  our  part;  and  I  think 
your  excellent  friend,  the  governor,  will  put  you 
in  the  calaboose  when  he  sees  you." 

* 'Perhaps  his  sense  of  duty  will  compel  him  to 
do  so;  but  it  will  be  against  his  better  judgment 
and  his  sympathies.  I  hope  you  will  not  subject 
him  to  this  unpleasant  necessity." 

"I  certainly  shall." 


t 'You  will  wrong  him  and  me." 


"I  feel  obliged  to  take  the  responsibility." 

"One  word  more,  captain.  Perhaps  my  sym 
pathies  were  too  gushingly  extended  to  Mr.  Miles. 
I  am  inclined  to  think,  now,  that  they  were.  But 
Mr.  Miles  communicated  to  me  in  the  strictest 
confidence,  while  we  were  waiting  in  the  boat  for 
the  steamer,  his  plans  for  the  future.  He  means 
harm." 

"And  you  are  willing  to  help  Mr.  Lawrence 
out?" 

"I  will  defeat  the  plans  of  Mr.  Miles,  though 
I  cannot  betray  his  confidence.  A  gentleman  has 
a  sacred  regard  for  the  confidence  reposed  in  him. 
Your  friend  will  lose  his  life  in  the  most  myste 
rious  manner,  when  Mr.  Miles  is  a  thousand  miles 
away  from  him,"  added  the  convict,  dropping  his 
voice  down  to  a  whisper.  "I  can  save  him." 


230  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"Well,  I  hope  you  will  do  so,  if  you  have  an 
opportunity." 

"All  I  ask  is  a  passage  to  England,  and — " 

"I  will  send  you  ashore  in  a  boat  as  soon  as  we 
are  off  the  mouth  of  the  harbor." 

I  turned  on  my  heel  and  walked  aft  to  Larry, 
who  was  talking  with  Lady  Eleanor  and  her 
friends.  I  told  him  what  the  convict  had  said. 
Of  course  it  was  all  fiction,  and  we  laughed  at  it. 
The  sun  had  come  out  again,  and  all  hands  were 
on  deck.  I  ordered  a  boat  to  be  got  ready  to  con 
vey  the  convict  to  the  shore.  Half  an  hour  later 
we  came  up  into  the  wind  off  the  "Boiler,"  and 
the  boat  was  lowered  into  the  water. 

"Now,  give  my  compliments  to  McFording- 
ham,  and  inform  him  that  the  boat  is  at  his  ser 
vice,"  I  said  to  the  mate. 

"Hadn't  you  better  appoint  a  committee  to  wait 
upon  him,  Phil?"  laughed  Larry. 

"Perhaps  that  would  be  the  more  elegant  way 
to  do  the  business;  but  I  have  sent  the  mate." 

"Suppose  he  don't  accept  your  polite  invita 
tion,  Phil,"  added  Larry. 

"Then  I  will  appoint  the  committee,  consist 
ing  of  the  three  stoutest  fellows  in  the  vessel,  to 
coax  him,"  I  replied. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       231 

"Don't  use  violence,  Philip." 

"Shall  I  permit  him  to  remain  on  board  the 
Blanche  in  case  he  declines  to  accept  my  invi 
tation  to  go  on  shore?"  I  asked. 

"You  always  pose  me  with  hard  questions, 
though  I  have  repeatedly  declared  that  I  am  no 
philosopher.  But  use  your  own  judgment,  Philip. ' ' 

"I  don't  put  my  judgment  against  positive  or 
ders.  But  the  fellow  does  not  seem  to  show 
himself;  and  I  suppose  he  refuses  to  go  on  shore." 

Mr.  Spelter  had  gone  below,  and  had  been 
absent  fifteen  minutes.  I  concluded  that  he  was 
arguing  the  question  with  McFordingham.  I  was 
willing  that  he  should  exhaust  his  logic,  and  I 
waited  patiently  for  the  issue.  In  another  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  mate  came  on  the  quarter-deck. 

"Well,  Mr.  Spelter,  where   is    he?"  I  asked. 

"Mr,  Longshanks  has  gone  up,  sure,"  replied 
the  mate,  with  a  puzzled  expression  on  his  bronzed 
face. 

"Gone  up?     What  does  he  say?" 

"I  haven't  heard  him  say  anything,"  replied 
Spelter,  scratching  his  head. 

"Didn't  you  give   my    compliments  to  him?" 

"I  did  not.    The  fact  on't  is,  I  can't  find  him." 


V 

232  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"Can't  find  him?" 

"No,  sir;  can't  find  him.  I've  looked  in  every 
hole  and  corner,  and  so  have  the  cook  and  stew 
ards.  I  should  say  he  had  crawled  into  some 
pipe-stem,  if  we  had  one  on  board  long  enough." 

"That's  very  singular,"  I  added. 

"Singular !  'pon  my  word  it's  marvellous." 

"The  fellow  didn't  jump  overboard — did  he?" 

"Not  that  I'm  aware  of." 

"You  broke  his  heart  by  your  coldness,  Phil, 
and  he  has  gone  over  into  the  drink  in  despair," 
laughed  Larry.  "Have  you  overhauled  the  fore- 
to'-bobbin,  Mr.  Spelter?" 

"No,  sir,  not  yet." 

"Have  you  opened  the  fore  royal  hatch-way?" 

"No,  sir.  We  never  open  that  except  in  pres 
ence  of  the  owner,"  answered  the  mate. 

"Right!  Always  be  prudent,  and  don't  incur 
any  needless  responsibility." 

"What's  the  fore  royal  hatch-way,  Mr.  Grims- 
by?"  asked  Lady  Eleanor. 

"Really,  I  don't  know.  You  must  ask  Captain 
Farringford." 

'•It's  where  the  foreto '-bobbin  comes  into  jux 
taposition  with  the  main- to '-gallant  bobstay,"  I 
replied. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER        233 

"That's  it.  Phil  knows  all  about  marine  mat 
ters,"  added  Larry.  "But,  Mr.  Spelter,  where 
is  our  elegant  friend,  Captain  McFordingham  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir,  unless  he  has  gone  over 
board,  and  a  shark  has  gobbled  him  up.5" 

"He  went  below,  and  of  course  he  is  there 
now,"  I  added.  "Send  half  a  dozen  hands  down 
to  look  for  him." 

I  'went  into  the  cabin  myself,  and,  with  the 
steward,  made  a  thorough  search  of  that  part  of 
the  vessel.  I  looked  into  the  lockers,  under  the 
berth,  and  even  invaded  Lady  Eleanor's  state 
room.  I  then  went  through  the  other  apartments, 
and  joined  the  hands  in  the  forecastle.  I  exam 
ined  every  place  where  it  was  possible  for  a  man 
to  be  concealed,  but  could  not  find  him. 

"Who  saw  him  last?"   I  inquired. 

No  one  answered,  but  the  hands  looked  from 
one  to  another. 

"I  saw  him  go  down  the  ladder  to  the  forecastle, 
after  talking  with  you,  sir,"  replied  Butters,  at 
last,  when  I  had  repeated  the  question. 

"Who  was  in  the  forecastle  then?" 

"No  one,  I  think,  sir.  All  hands  were  on  deck." 

"Did  he  go  on  deck  again  after  that?" 


234  SEA    AND    SHORE,    OR 

"I  didn't  see  him,  sir." 

"Did  you  see  him,  cook?" 

"No,  sir.  My  door  was  closed,  and  he  didn't 
come  into  the  kitchen,"  replied  the  cook. 

As  the  fugitive  could  get  from  the  forecastle 
to  the  cabin  only  by  passing  through  the  kitchen, 
I  concluded  that  he  must  be  in  the  forward  part 
of  the  vessel. 

"He  may  have  crawled  into  the  hold,"  sug 
gested  Mr.  Spelter. 

"Open  the  hold,"  I  replied.  "Steward,  a 
lantern!" 

The  Blanche  was  a  keel  vessel,  and  not  a  cen 
tre-board,  and  there  was  some  space  below  the 
floors,  where  the  ballast  and  the  coarser  provisions 
were  placed.  Two  of  the  men  had  been  appointed 
to  take  charge  of  the  hold,  whose  duty  required 
them  to  see  that  it  was  kept  clean,  and  that  the 
'boxes,  barrels,  and  bags  were  secure. 

"The  tall  man  was  down  there  before,"  said 
the  head  steward. 

"The  man  we  are  looking  for?"  I  asked. 

"Yes,  sir.  I  bought  some  fruits  and  vegetables 
of  him ;  and  he  offered  to  go  into  the  hold  and 
stow  them  so  that  they  would  keep  well." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       235 

The  two  holdmen  went  down  into  the  dark  re 
cess  below.  I  followed  them  myself,  to  see  that 
they  did  their  duty  faithfully.  I  saw  them  turn 
boxes  and  bags,  and  I  looked  in  every  part  of  the 
hold  myself.  Then  we  went  through  the  search  a 
second  time.  I  looked  for  myself  into  every  part 
where  a  man  could  be  concealed,  without  success. 
t  did  not  overhaul  the  ballast,  which  was  of  pigs 
of  iron,  packed  each  side  of  the  keelson,  secured 
against  shifting  by  timbers  bolted  to  the  ribs,  for 
no  man  could  live  with  such  a  weight  upon  him. 
Reluctantly  I  gave  up  the  search. 

We  were  all  confounded  by  the  mystery.  We 
lay  off  and  on  till  the  next  morning  without  being 
able  to  solve  the  strange  problem,  and  then  laid 
our  course  for  the  voyage.  Again  and  again  we 
searched  every  part  of  the  yacht.  I  even  went 
around  her  in  a  boat,  to  see  if  the  fellow  was  not 
concealed  under  the  counter,  or  clinging  to  the 
bobstay.  I  finally  concluded  that  he  had  dropped 
overboard,  and  swum  ashore,  to  avoid  being 
handed  over  to  the  governor. 


236  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OK 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   AND  LARKY  ARE   ASTONISHED,  AND 
THEN  ARE  ASTONISHED  AGAIN. 

ON  the  morning  after  the  strange  disappear 
ance  of  McFordingham,  the  wind  was  fresh 
from  the  westward,  which  gave  us   our  best  point 
in  sailing.     The  Blanche    seemed  to  fly  on   her 
course,  and  we  soon  took  our  last  look  at  the  Ber 
mudas.     Our   passengers  were   not  sea-sick,   and 
Lady  Eleanor  had  no    abatement  of  the  pleasure 
of  the  voyage.     Larry  was  very  funny,  and  made 
his  guests  laugh  a  great  deal.     Our  German  in 
structor,  Mr.  Schmidt, —  who  has  thus   far  been 
ignored  because  there    was   nothing  for  him  to  do 
or  say, —  was  called  into  action,  and  we  had  Ger 
man  conversations  in  the  forenoon  and  afternoon, 
in  which  Lady  Eleanor  joined.     We   were  very 
serious    in    this   business,   and   our  teacher  was 
faithful.     In    the    evening   we    had  reading  and 
games  in  the  cabin. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       237 

For  a  day  or  two  the  mystery  of  the  convict 
was  occasionally  alluded  to,  and  Larry  expressed 
his  belief  that  the  captain  had  evaporated  into 
mist,  and  had  been  wafted  off  to  sea.  He  thought 
that  if  we  ran  into  a  fog,  the  captain  would  again 
assume  shape  and  substance,  and  drop  down  upon 
our  deck. 

"You  mean  by  that,  you  think  he  will  appear 
again,"  I  replied. 

"I'm  afraid  he  will,  Phil.  I  advise  you  to  keep 
clear  of  all  fog-banks,"  laughed  Larry.  "In  nau 
tical  parlance,  give  them  a  wide  berth." 

"It  is  utterly  impossible  that  he  should  be  con 
cealed  on  board/'  I  protested. 

"Of  course.  I  don't  expect  to  see  him  until  a 
fog-bank  settles  down  on  the  Blanche;  then  you 
will  see  him  just  as  the  fisherman  did  the  genius, 
forming  from  the  smoke  that  issued  from  the  urn. 
That's  the  way  he'll  come  back.  Therefore,  keep 
clear  of  fog-banks." 

"I  don't  know  that  it  is  possible  to  keep  clear 
of  them,  Larry." 

"Then  we  may  be  doomed  to  endure  the  cap 
tain's  presence  during  a  portion  of  the  voyage," 
laughed  Larry. 


238  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

But  the  subject  was  dropped  in  a  couple  of 
days,  and  we  ceased  to  think  of  the  captain.  We 
studied  German,  played  checkers,  chess,  and  back 
gammon,  and  read  Tennyson,  Scott,  and  Long 
fellow.  The  days  passed  away  very  pleasantly, 
and  time  hung  no  burden  on  our  shoulders.  For 
five  days  we  had  the  wind  from  the  westward, 
and  made  steamer  time  of  it;  but  then  came  a 
calm  and  a  fog.  For  a  day  and  a  night  we  kept 
the  fog-horn  sounding  at  intervals.  It  was  cold 
and  disagreeable  on  deck,  and  for  this  reason  I 
was  separated  most  of  the  time  from  our  passen 
gers.  Yet  we  had  but  twenty-four  hours  of  this 
weather,  and  on  the  sixth  day  out,  the  fog  rolled 
away  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  the  sun 
shone  brightly  upon  the  ocean,  drying  up  our 
decks,  and  bringing  warmth  to  the  heart  as  well 
as  to  the  air.  The  wind  came  from  the  north-west, 
and  again  the  Blanche  leaped  on  her  course,  with 
every  rag  of  canvas  drawing.  Our  party  were 
seated  on  the  quarter-deck  enjoying  the  scene. 

"Well,  Larry,  we  got  out  of  that  fog  safely," 
said  I,  as  I  took  a  camp-stool  opposite  my  friend, 
and  facing  the  helmsman.  "The  captain  hasn't 
turned  up  yet. ' ' 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       239 

"Don't  crow  till  you  are  out  of  the  woods, 
Phil,"  laughed  Larry,  as  he  pointed  to  the  dense 
fog-bank  in  the  south-east.  "The  tall  man  is  cer 
tainly  in  that  pile;  you  may  depend  upon  it." 

"Perhaps  he  is;  but  I  think  we  are  clear  of  that 
bank.  If  the  captain  is  in  it,  he  will  find  it  rather 
difficult  to  work  his  way  up  to  windward  so  as  to 
reach  our  present  position. ' ' 

"Not  at  all,  Captain  Farringford, "  said  a  voice 
behind  me. 

I  sprang  to  ray  feet. 

"I  told  you  so,  Phil.  I  knew  the  fog  would 
bring  him, ' '  exclaimed  Larry,  laughing  heartily. 

I.  turned  and  saw  Captain  Gregory  McFording- 
ham  standing  on  the  weather  side  of  the  main 
mast.  He  had  just  raised  his  little  cap,  and  was 
in  the  act  of  making  his  politest  bow  to  the  party. 

"I  am  exceedingly  happy  to  find  that  my  com 
ing  was  not  unexpected,  and  I  hope  it  will  not  be 
unwelcome,"  said  the  captain,  bowing  and  smirk 
ing  again. 

*  'May  I  be  so  bold  as  to  ask  where  you  came 
from?"  I  added. 

Raising  his  long  arm,  he  shrugged  his  shoul 
ders,  and  pointed  to  the  fog-bank,  with  the  most 
melodramatic  effect. 


240  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OK 

6  <I  knew  it,  Phil, ' '  exclaimed  Larry.  *  'He  has 
been  in  that  fog-bank  all  the  time." 

"You  are  quite  right,  Mr.  Grimsby;  and  a 
very  disagreeable  situation  it  was,  too,  I  assure 
you.  I  humbly  hope  and  trust  that  the  inhospi- 
tality  of  your  friends  will  never  compel  you  to 
take  refuge  in  a  fog-bank,"  added  McFordingham, 
shaking  his  head  ruefully. 

"How  long  have  you  been  on  board,  my  excel 
lent  friend?"  asked  Larry. 

"I  have  been  onboard  some  time,  sir;  in  fact, 
an  hour  or  two.  You  see,  I  had  some  difficulty  in 
shaking  off  the  fog  and  getting  clear  of  it.  But 
I  got  hold  of  your  mainmast  and  held  on  with  all 
my  might.  After  a  fearful  struggle,  which  has 
left  me  quite  exhausted,  I  disengaged  myself, 
and  came  down  the  mainmast." 

"You  seem  to  be  rather  the  worse  for  the 
wear,"  I  added. 

"Well,  I  am.  This  life  in  a  fog-bank  is  very 
uncomfortable.  I  hope  you  will  never  be  obliged 
to  endure  a  week  of  it,  as  I  have,  Captain  Far- 
ringford.  I  have  lived  on  air  and  cold  water  all 
the  time ;  and  I  hope  you  will  order  your  steward 
to  give  me  something  more  substantial." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      241 

4 'You  shall  be  fed,"  I  replied. 

"And  a  little  drop  of  brandy  would  not  come 
amiss." 

."We  don't  use  the  article;  but  you  shall  have 
tea  or  coifee." 

All  hands  had  gathered  in  the  waist,  and  were 
regarding  the  tall  captain  with  the  utmost  aston 
ishment.  I  called  the  second  steward,  and  told 
him  to  feed  our  unexpected  guest.  He  took  him 
to  the  kitchen. 

"Where  did  that  fellow  come  from?"  I  asked 
of  the  wondering  crew. 

"About  five  minutes  before  he  showed  himself 
to  you,  he  rushed  up  the  fore-hatch,  and  then 
placed  himself  by  the  mainmast,  where  you 
couldn't  see  him,"  replied  Butters. 

"But  where  was  he  concealed?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir." 

No  one  knew.  I  called  the  hold-men,  and  went 
below.  I  examined  the  hold  again,  to  find  the 
place  where  the  captain  had  stowed  himself. 
Everything  appeared  just  as  it  had  been  at  my 
former  visits.  The  boxes,  bags,  and  barrels  were 
all  in  order,  and  did  not  appear  to  have  been  dis 
turbed.  I  looked  at  the  ballast,  which  was  piled 
16 


242  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OK 

up  in  the  run,  over  the  top  of  the  keelson.  Every 
pig  of  iron  seemed  to  be  in  the  same  position  as 
when  I  had  last  examined  it.  I  returned  to  the 
deck,  more  amazed  and  bewildered  than  ever.  I 
made  further  inquiries  among  the  men ;  but  they 
were  all  on  deck  when  McFordingham  appeared. 
One  of  the  hold-men  had  brought  up  a  sack  of 
potatoes  that  afternoon. 

"It's  very  singular,  Larry,"  said  I,  when  I  had 
related  to  the  party  on  the  quarter-deck  the  result 
of  my  examination. 

4 'Not  at  all,  Phil,"  laughed  Larry.  "He  came 
out  of  that  fog-bank,  as  he  told  you.  The  poor 
fellow  has  been  enveloped  in  that  mass  of  cold 
moisture  for  a  week.  Didn't  he  tell  you  what  a 
struggle  he  had  with  the  mainmast  to  shake  off 
the  fog?" 

"I'm  sorry  he  didn't  stay  in  the  fog,"  I  replied. 
"If  I  had  known  he  was  wrestling  with  the 
main-topmast,  I  would  have  cut  it  away  rather  than 
have  him  come  on  board  again." 

"You  could  not  have  been  so  cruel,  Phil." 

"I  don't  understand  it,"  I  continued,  vexed  by 
the  mystery. 

*  4It  is  perfectly  plain,  my  dear  Philip.    You  are 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       243 

a  philosopher,  I  know ;  but  you  should  not  fill  your 
head  with  vain  inquiries.  Accept  the  only  plaus 
ible  explanation  of  the  mystery,  and  fill  away 
again  on  the  other  tack,  with  the  foreto' -bobbin 
taut  on  the  weather  sky  sail  bobstay." 

"The  fellow  must  have  been  on  board  all  the 

time." 

"Quite  impossible.  The  fog  condensed  him  on 
the  main-topmast,  and  he  slid  down  like  a  drop  of 
water.  Now  we  have  him,  let  us  make  the  best 
of  him,"  said  Larry. 

By  this  time  the  captain  had  finished  his  meal, 
and  appeared  upon  deck  again. 

"Captain  McFordiugham,  we  have  gone  too  far 
on  our  cruise  to  return  with  you;  and,  as  you 
are  going  to  England  with  us,  you  may  inform  me 
where  you  were  concealed,"  I  began,  as  he  coolly 
seated  himself  near  our  party. 

"As  Mr.  Grimsby  has  already  explained  the 
matter  very  fully,  it  would  not  be  proper  in  me 
to  invalidate  any  of  his  statements,"  replied  the 
captain,  bowing  and  touching  his  cap  to  our 
owner. 

I  saw  that  the  rascal  did  not  mean  to  tell  me 
what  I  de3ired  to  know,  and  Larry  pretended  to 


244  SEA   AND    SHOEE,    OR 

be  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  solution  already 
given.  My  dignity  would  not  permit  me  to  press 
the  question,  and  I  let  it  drop.  The  captain  never 
for  an  instant  abandoned  his  magnificent  speech 
and  manner,  and  the  party  were  very  much 
amused  by  him. 

The  next  day  the  lookout  forward  announced  a 
sail  ahead.  Such  an  event  always  makes  a  sensa 
tion  on  board ;  and  for  an  hour  we  speculated  over 
the  nation  and  character  of  the  approaching  vessel, 
before  she  was  near  enough  to  be  made  out.  She 
proved  to  be  a  large  steitm  frigate,  under  sail 
only,  belonging  to  the  British  navy. 

"She  is  bound  to  the  West  Indies,"  said  the 
r  ate. 

"Then  she  will  go  to  the  Bermudas,  without 
doubt,  for  there  is  a  naval  station  there,"  I  added. 
"Set  the  colors." 

The  American  flag  went  up  to  our  peak,  and  we 
saw  the  red  cross  of  England  on  the  man-of-war. 

"If  she  is  going  to  the  Bermudas,  we  can  give 
Captain  McFordingham  an  opportunity  to  return 
in  her,"  I  suggested  to  Larry. 

"As  you  think  best,  Phil,"  replied  he. 

The  frigate  was  close-hauled,  and  not  making 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      245 

more  than  two  knots  an  hour,  for  the  wind  was 
light.  I  gave  the  order  to  come  about  and  stand 
over  towards  her. 

6  'Where  is  McFordingham?"  I  asked. 

4 'He  was  asleep  in  the  forecastle  just  now,"  re 
plied  Butters. 

I  went  into  the  forecastle  to  announce  my  inten 
tion  myself.  I  found  the  captain  in  the  temporary 
bunk  which  had  been  fitted  up  for  him.  I  waked 
him  with  a  pull  at  his  collar. 

'  'I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  Farringford, ' '  said 
he  springing  to  his  feet.  "What  can  I  do  for 
you,  sir?" 

"There  is  an  English  man-of-war  in  sight,  bound 
to  the  south-west.  I  have  no  doubt  she  is  going 
to  the  naval  station  at  the  Bermudas.  As  this 
will  afford  you  an  excellent  opportunity  to  return 
to  your  friends,  I  suggest  that  you  take  passage 
in  her." 

"Thank  you,  Captain  Farringford.  You  are 
very  kind  to  take  so  much  trouble  on  my  ac 
count,"  he  answered,  apparently  unmoved  by  my 
announcement. 

"Not  at  all;  don't  mention  it,  my  dear  captain. 
We  are  running  down  to  the  ship,  and  shall  speak 
her  in  a  short  time." 


SEA   AND    SHORE,    OK 

"As  you  are  aware,  I  desire  to  visit  England; 
and  I  couldn't  think  of  giving  you  so  much 
trouble  on  my  account." 

1  'I  beg  to  assure  you  it  will  be  no  trouble  iit 
all.  We  shall  be  particularly  happy  to  serve  you 
in  this  manner." 

"Very  well,  Captain  Farringford;  you  are  so 
very  kind  that  I  cannot  deny  myself  the  privilege 
of  accepting  what  you  so  graciously  offer.  I  will 
be  at  your  service  in  a  few  moments,  if  you  will 
permit  me  to  take  a  lunch  before  I  bid  a  last  fare 
well  to  so  many  kind  friends." 

"Certainly,  captain;"  and  I  passed  through  the 
kitchen  to  give  the  cook  an  order  to  supply  him 
with  food. 

The  cook  was  not  at  his  galley ;  and  I  went 
on  deck  by  way  of  the  cabin.  All  hands  were 
looking  at  the  man-of-war,  and  the  cook  was  among 
them.  He  had  come  on  deck  to  ask  one  of  the 
hold-men  to  bring  him  up  a  supply  of  vegetables 
for  dinner.  He  and  the  hold-man  went  below. 
In  ten  minutes  the  cook  came  to  me  on  deck 
again. 

"Where  is  the  captain,  sir?  His  lunch  is 
ready,"  said  he. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      247 

"I  left  him  in  the  forecastle." 

"He  is  not  there  now,  sir." 

"Not  there?" 

"No,  sir." 

I  looked  about  the  deck,  and  he  was  not  there. 
I  descended  by  the  fore  scuttle  to  the  forecastle. 
Certainly  the  rascal  was  not  there.  I  began  to 
snuff  another  mysterious  disappearance,  and  I  was 
vexed,  sorely  vexed.  The  news  that  McFording- 
ham  was  not  to  be  found  had  been  passed  along 
till  it  reached  Larry,  who  came  down  the  fore 
scuttle,  shaking  his  sides  with  laughter  at  what  he 
was  pleased  to  call  a  repetition  of  the  old  joke. 

*  'We  have  no  fog  to-day,  Phil, ' '  said  he.  <  'He 
couldn't  have  gone  off  in  a  fog  this  time." 

"I  think  not,"  I  replied,  biting  my  lips  with 
vexation . 

"But,  Phil,  don't  hail  that  English  man-of-war 
till  you  find  the  man,"  added  Larry;  "they  will 
think  you  are  making  fools  of  them,  and  won't 
appreciate  the  joke." 

"I  shall  not  hail  her  till  we  find  the  captain," 
I  replied. 

At  this  moment  the  hold-man  opened  the  scuttle 
leading  into  the  hold,  which  was  in  the  passage  by 


248  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

the  door  of  the  ice-house.  'He  came  up  with  a 
lantern  in  one  hand  and  a  basket  of  vegetables  in 
the  other. 

"Frinks,  is  the  captain  down  there?" 

"I  didn't  see  him,  sir,"  replied  the  man. 

"How  long  have  you  been  in  the  hold?"  I 
asked. 

"Five  or  ten  minutes,  sir;  just  long  enough  to 
get  out  these  beets  and  turnips." 

The  cook  took  the  vegetables,  and  I  went  into 
the  hold  once  more,  this  time  attended  by  Larry. 
Frinks  carried  the  lantern,  and,  stooping  low, — 
for  the  hold  was  not  deep  enough  to  permit  us  to 
stand  up  straight, —  we  carefully  examined  every 
nook  and  corner,  with  no  better  success  than 
before.  The  ballast  had  not  been  moved,  but  at 
one  end  of  the  pile  of  pigs  of  iron  was  a  quantity 
of  cabbages,  and  some  heads  of  luttuce  set  in  wet 
sand.  I  pulled  over  the  heads,  but  there  was  no 
head  of  a  man  to  be  seen. 

"He  isn't  here,  Phil,"  said  Larry,  whose  curi 
osity  seemed  to  be  excited. 

"Where  is  he,  then?" 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea." 

We  went  on  deck  again.     I  ordered  the  English 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      249 

flag  to  be  hoisted  at  the  fore,  and  the  men  to  give 
three  cheers  in  honor  of  the  frigate.  The  ladies 
waved  their  handkerchiefs,  to  whieh  a  group  of 
officers  in  the  rigging  replied.  We  sheered  off 
and  laid  our  course  again,  the  Englishmen,  prob 
ably,  supposing  that  we  had  varied  it  in  order  to 
gratify  our  curiosity. 

I  was  never  more  perplexed  in  my  life  than  I 
was  at  the  sudden  disappearance  a  second  time  of 
Captain  McFordingham.  I  was  morally  sure  he 
was  on  board,  and  almost  as  sure  that  he  was  not 
in  the  hold.  Larry  laughed  about  it,  and  insisted 
that  the  captain  was  some  mighty  necromancer, 
who  had  the  power  to  make  himself  invisible 
when  occasion  required. 


250  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 


CHAPTER 

IN  WHICH   PHIL  AND  OTHERS  SOLVE  THE   MYSTERY. 

THE  frigate  went  on  her  way,  and  we  soon 
lost  sight  of  her.  She  was  a  beautiful  object 
to  look  upon  in  the  immense  cloud  of  canvas 
which  she  carried,  and  for  an  hour,  while  we  were 
near  her,  she  was  a  decided  sensation.  I  was 
sorry  I  had  not  been  permitted  to  transfer  our  un 
welcome  passenger  to  her,  for  I  should  have  felt 
better  if  I  had  known  that  the  tall  captain  was  on 
his  way  to  his  home  in  the  Bermudas.  I  had 
directed  all  hands  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  below 
for  the  missing  man.  The  day  wore  away,  and 
nothing  was  seen  of  him. 

At  sunset  our  party  were  all  seated  on  the 
quarter-deck,  and  Lady  Eleanor  had  just  favored 
us  with  a  song,  which  we  rapturously  applauded, 
though,  as  it  was  in  the  higher  flights  of  music, 
I  was  unable  to  appreciate  it.  But  singing  was 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       251 

a  novelty  on  board,  unless  I  except  the  rude 
songs  of  the  sailors.  The  sound  of  her  ladyship's 
voice  attracted  the  attention  of  the  hands  forward, 
and  in  a  moment  the  whole  crew  had  gathered 
near  the  mainmast  to  listen  to  the  music.  Even 
the  cook  and  stewards  came  on  deck,  and  no  lady 
ever  had  a  more  attentive  audience.  As  I  said, 
our  party  on  the  quarter-deck  applauded,  and  our 
demonstration  was  followed  by  another  on  the  part 
of  the  crew,  more  emphatic  than  ours.  While  I 
was  trying  to  make  up  my  mind  whether  it  was 
quite  proper  for  the  seamen  to  applaud  a  per 
formance  to  which  they  had  not  been  invited,  I 
discovered  Captain  McFordingham  in  the  rear  of 
the  group,  vigorously  clapping  his  hands,  and  look 
ing  as  delighted  as  though  the  entertainment  had 
been  given  for  his  especial  gratification. 

"Captain!"  shouted  he.     "Encore." 

The  hands  turned  and  regarded  him  with  a  de 
gree  of  astonishment  which  appeared  fully  to 
equal  my  own. 

<  'Longshanks ! ' '  exclaimed  Mr.  Spelter,  walking 
up  to  the  fellow. 

"Sir,  allow  me  to  suggest,  in  the  mildest  man 
ner  possible,  that  the  epithet  you  apply  to  me  is 


252  SEA   AND   SHOKE,  OR 

exceedingly  opprobrious,"  said  McFordingham, 
with  his  loftiest  air.  "Such  expressions  wound 
the  feelings  of  a  gentleman.  Allow  me  to  remind 
you  that  my  name  is  Captain  Gregory  McFording 
ham,  formerly  in  the  service  of  the  Honorable 
East  India  Company." 

"Exactly  so;  and  I  dare  say  the  Honorable 
East  India  Company  were  very  glad  to  get  rid  of 
you,"  replied  the  blunt  mate.  "Where  did  you 
come  from,  Gregory?" 

"Excuse  me,  Mr.  Spelter,  if  I  decline  to  hold 
any  further  communication  with  you,"  answered 
the  captain,  with  a  magnificent  sneer. 

"Good!"  laughed  Larry,  who  had  walked  for 
ward  to  the  mainmast  with  me. 

"I  cannot  hold  any  intercourse  with  one  who 
has  not  the  instincts  of  a  gentleman." 

"That's  rather  rich  for  a  convict,"  said  Spelter, 
who  did  not  enjoy  the  airs  of  the  fellow  as  our 
owner  did.  "I  don't  think  I  could  cut  it  quite  so 
fat  as  that  if  I  had  been  convicted  of  robbing  my 
employer." 

"As  you  are  beneath  my  contempt,  I  can  take 
no  notice  of  your  vulgar  insinuations,"  added  Mc 
Fordingham,  turning  his  back  to  the  mate. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       253 

"If  I  had  my  way,  I'd  take  you  down  a  peg, 
Longshanks,"  muttered  the  mate. 

"Where  did  you  come  from  this  time,  captain?" 
I  asked. 

"I  owe  you  an  apology,  Captain  Farringford,  for 
not  coming  on  deck  this  forenoon,  as  I  told  you  I 
would,"  replied  the  fellow,  touching  his  little  cap, 
and  bowing  low  tome.  "Permit  me  to  explain 
my  conduct." 

"It  is  hardly  necessary." 

"Butj  sir,  I  owe  it  to  my  honor  as  a  gentleman 
— a  gentleman  who  has  been  unfortunate,  but 
whose  honor  was  never  sullied  by  the  breath  of 
reproach." 

"The  breath  of  reproach!  That  isn't  bad, 
Phil,"  laughed  Larry. 

"I  repeat  it,  sir;  who  has  been  unfortunate, 
but  whose  honor  is  unsullied.  You  were  so  kind, 
Captain  Farringford,  as  to  offer  me  a  passage,  in 
that  noble  man-of-war,  to  the  Bermudas.  I  am 
obliged  to  you  for  the  invitation,  and  for  the  very 
courteous  manner  in  which  it  was  extended.  I 
intended  to  accept  it ;  but,  upon  more  mature  de 
liberation,  I  decided  not  to  do  so.  It  would  have 
been  courteous  on  my  part  to  inform  you  of  my 


254  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OK 

change  of  purpose;  but  I  trust  that,  under  the 
circumstances,  you  will  accept  my  humble  apol 
ogy." 

''Where  were  you  when  we  looked  for  you?" 
I  asked. 

"I  was  in  a  safe  place,"  he  answered,  smiling. 

"A  direct  answer,  if  you  please," 

"I  must  beg  your  indulgence,  Captain  Far- 
ringford." 

He  bowed  low  again,  and  I  saw  that  he  did  not 
mean  to  reveal  his  hiding-place.  I  was  vexed,  but 
my  dignity  would  not  permit  me  to  press  the  ques 
tion.  He  went  below  soon  after,  and  I  heard  of 
him  in  the  cook-room,  cajoling  the  cook  to  set  be 
fore  him  the  best  the  yacht  afforded. 

"Sail  ho ! "  called  the  lookout  at  a  later  hour  in 
the  evening. 

Ahead  of  us  I  saw  the  red  and  white  lights  of  a 
vessel,  indicating  that  she  was  on  the  starboard 
tack.  As  we  could  not  see  her  green  light,  there 
was  no  danger  of  a  collision,  and  we  held  our 
course,  showing  her  our  red  light  on  the  port 
side,  and  the  white  light  at  the  foremast-head,  for 
the  Blanche  was  provided  with  these  signals, 
though  at  that  time  but  few  sailing  vessels  carried 
them. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       255 

"I  shouldn't  wonder  if  that  was  another  man-of- 
war  bound  to  the  West  Indies,"  said  Mr.  Spelter, 
though  I  could  not  see  what  reason  he  had  for 
suggesting  the  idea. 

* 'Possibly,"  I  replied,  indifferently. 

"I  feel  rather  confident  she  is  a  man-of-war," 
added  the  mate.  "If  she  is,  she  must  be  bound 
for  the  Bermudas ;  and  I  hope  you  will  give  Long- 
shanks  another  invitation  to  go  home." 

"I  certainly  shall." 

Spelter  walked  forward  and  aft,  and  in  a  few 
moments  it  was  reported  through  the  yacht  that 
the  sail  approaching  was  a  man-of-war,  bound  to 
the  southwest.  The  mate  was  so  confident  in  his 
opinion  in  regard  to  the  vessel,  that  I  went  to  the 
forecastle  and  informed  the  captain  that  he  must 
be  ready  to  take  passage  in  her.  He  was  po 
lite,  as  usual.  Most  of  the  watch  below  went  on 
deck  to  see  the  vessel,  and  no  one  was  left  in  the 
forecastle,  so  far  as  I  could  see.  Of  course,  I  ex 
pected  another  mysterious  disappearance,  and  I 
did  not  mean  to  be  cheated  this  time.  I  went  to 
the  fore  scuttle  and  ascended  the  steps,  but  I 
paused  and  seated  myself  on  the  combing  of  the 
hatch,  where  I  could  see  McFordimrham.  ID 


256  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

another  moment  he  rose  from  the  bunk  where  lie 
was  seated,  and  moved  aft.  I  hastened  down 
again;  but  the  fellow  had  already  vanished.  I 
looked  about,  but  could  see  nothing  of  him.  Ho 
must  have  entered  the  midship  passage,  from 
which  the  doors  of  the  cook-room,  ice-house,  and 
mate's  room  opened.  I  walked  in  this  direction, 
and  was  immediately  confronted  by  Cheeseman, 
the  second  mate. 

"He  has  gone  into  the  hold,  sir,"  said  he. 

"Did  you  see  him?"  I  inquired. 

"Yes,  sir.  I  am  here  to  watch  him,"  answered 
the  second  mate,  as  he  took  down  the  lantern 
which  was  suspended  from  a  deck-beam  in  the 
forecastle. 

We  had  searched  the  hold  so  many  times  that  I 
could  hardly  believe  the  captain's  hiding-place 
was  there.  At  this  moment  Frinks,  the  hold-man, 
came  down  with  a  lantern  and  a  basket  in  his 
hand. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  I  asked. 

<  'Into  the  hold  after  some  potatoes  for  break 
fast,"  replied  the  man,  as  he  opened  the  scuttle  in 
the  midship  passage. 

I  made  a  gesture  to  Cheeseman  to  stand  back, 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       257 

and  Frinks  was  permitted  to  jump  into  the  hold 
and  to  close  the  scuttle  after  him,  as  he  always 
did,  so  that  a  person  coming' out  of  the  cook-room 
or  going  to  it  might  not  fall  through  the  opening. 

"Now  open  it,  Cheeseman,"  I  said  to  the  second 
mate. 

He  did  so,  and  I  jumped  down  into  the  hold. 
Cheeseman  followed  me  with  the  lantern.  Bending 
low,  as  I  was  obliged  to  do,  I  went  aft,  where  I 
found  Frinks  at  work  on  the  heap  of  cabbages, 
which  he  seemed  to  be  placing  on  the  end  of  the 
pile  of  ballast.  McFordingham  could  not  be  seen. 

"Frinks,  go  on  deck  and  tell  Mr.  Spelter  I  wish 
to  see  him  in  the  hold,"  said  I  to  the  hold-man. 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  Frinks;  but  he  did  not  go. 

"Do  you  hear  me,  Frinks?" 

"Ay,  ay,  sir;  but — " 

"Obey  my   order    at  once,"  I  added,  sternly. 

The  man  went;  but  I  was  satisfied  that  he 
knew  more  than  he  chose  to  tell,  and  had  con 
nived  at  the  concealment  of  the  convict. 

"Throw  those  cabbages  off  the  ballast,  Cheese 
man,"  I  continued,  and  assisted  him  in  the  work. 

In  a  few  moments  Mr.  Spelter  appeared,  accom 
panied  by  Frinks. 
17 


258  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OK 

1  'I  don't  think  that's  a  man-of-war,  now,"  said 
the  mate,  chuckling,  as  he  joined  us.  ''But  who 
has  been  overhauling  this  ballast?" 

"I  was  not  aware  that  it  had  been  overhauled." 

"Yes,  it  has.  I  had  this  ballast  stowed  under 
my  own  eye;  but  J  don't  know  that  I  have  been 
in  the  hold  before  since  we  sailed  from  New  York. ' ' 

Spelter  assisted  in  throwing  off  the  cabbages; 
but  when  they  had  all  been  removed,  the  convict 
was  not  to  be  seen. 

"He  wasn't  under  them,"  said  Cheeseman. 

"Who,  sir?  the  tall  gentleman?"  inquired 
Frinks.  "He's  not  down  here,  sir." 

"Who  moved  the  ballast,  Frinks?"  demanded 
the  mate,  savagely. 

"I  moved  it  a  little,  sir,  just  to  make  a  place  for 
the  sand-box,  so  that  it  shouldn't  shift  in  a  sea,  sir 
—  that's  all,"  replied  the  hold-man. 

"Lift  up  the  box  and  slide  it  aft,"  I  added, 
confident  that  we  had  found  the  burrow  of  the 
fugitive. 

"There's  nothing  under  it  but  the  ballast,  sir/* 
said  Frinks. 

"Lift  it  up." 

It  was  a  shallow  box,  partly  filled  with  sand,  in 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      259 

which  the  lettuce  was  set  up.     The  two  mates 
lifted  it,  and  moved  it  aft. 

"That's  what's  the  matter!  "  exclaimed  the  mate, 
triumphantly.     "This  is  the  fox's  hole." 

When  the  box  was  removed,  it  revealed  a 
square  opening  in  the  pile  of  ballast,  and  in  the 
aperture  we  discovered  the  head  and  shoulders  of 
Captain  Gregory  McFordingham,  who  immediately 
drew  his  long  body  out  of  the  hole  under  the  bal 
last,  and  sat  up  before  us. 

"Did  I  understand  one  of  you  gentlemen  to  say 
that  the  vessel  approaching  is  not  a  man-of-war, 
bound  to  the  southwest?"  said  he,  with  admirable 
self-possession. 

"Possibly  she  is,  possibly  not,"  I  replied. 

"lam  not  partial  to  British  men-of-war  on  long 
voyages.  I  have  had  some  experience  in  them," 
added  the  captain.  "I  find  they  are  not  comfort 
able  or  pleasant  for  those  who  have  the  instincts 
of  gentlemen,  especially  if  they  have  been  unfor 
tunate.  I  have  been  unfortunate,  and  my  proper 
position  in  society  is  not  generally  recognized." 

"Well,  now,  I  thought  it  was,"  added  Mr.  Spel 
ter.  "Were  you  not  sentenced  by  the  court  to  ten 
years'  penal  servitude  in  the  Bermudas?" 


260  SEA   AND    SHOIii:,    Oii 

"Permit  mo  to  say,  Mr.  Mate,  that  I  decline 
any  further  intercourse  with  you." 

"Well,  I  cloii't  decline-  any  further  intercourse 
with  you.  If  }rou  don't  come  out  of  that  hole  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  I'll  snake  you  out,  like  a 
bug  from  a  rug.  Come,  stir  yourself,  Long- 
shanks,"  said  the  mate. 

"Captain  Farringford,  I  appeal  to  you  against 
this  fellow's  assumption,"  added  the  captain. 

"Obey  his  orders;   he  is  the  mate." 

"But  I  am  not  one  of  the  crew." 

'  'I  don' t  regard  you  as  a  passenger.  Come  out, 
and  you  will  save  trouble." 

"Tumble  up  here,  Longshanks,"  added  Mr. 
Spelter,  as  he  made  a  demonstration  towards  the 
captain. 

McFordingham  concluded  not  to  wait  for  any 
further  action  on  the  part  of  the  mate,  but  crawled 
out  of  his  hole.  Then  we  had  an  opportunity  to 
see  how  his  den  had  been  constructed.  The  pigs 
of  iron,  which  wrere  from  two  to  three  feot  in 
length,  had  been  removed  from  the  middle  of  the 
pile,  till  there  W7as  an  aperture  seven  feet  long, 
and  deep  enough  to  contain  the  gaunt  carcass  of 
the  fugitive.  The  sides  on  the  interior  had  been 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      261 

carefully  built  up.  Across  the  top  of  the  recess 
thus  formed  the  pigs  of  ballast  had  been  laid, 
except  at  one  end  for  about  two  feet,  which  had 
been  covered  by  the  sand-box.  The  bottom  of 
this  den  had  been  covered  with  straw,  which 
had  been  used  for  packing  various  articles  in 
barrels  and  cases. 

"That  makes  a  soft  thing  of  it,"  said  the  mate. 

"But  it's  lucky  for  you,  Longshanks,  that  we 
haven't  had  any  rough  weather,  or  some  of  that 
ballast  would  have  been  rolled  on  your  stomach. 
In  a  gale  of  wind  we  might  have  had  those  pigs 
tumbling  about  the  hold." 

"The  place  was  very  comfortable  for  a  few 
days,"  added  the  captain;  "but  I  don't  like  it  for 
steady  lodgings." 

"Of  course  Longshanks  didn't  do  this  job 
alone,"  added  the  mate  to  me. 

"I  beg  to  inform  you  that  I  did,"  interposed  the 
fugitive  with  dignity. 

"Frinks  helped  him,  and  knew  he  was  here,"  I 
replied. 

"No  doubt  of  that,"  added  Cheeseman. 

"No  sir;  I  didn't  know  he  was  here,"  answered 
the  hold-man. 


262  SEA    AND    SIIOEE,    OR 

"A  lie  won't  help  you,"  I  continued.  "We 
will  go  on  deck." 

The  mate  called  several  hands,  and  stowed  the 
ballast  in  a  safe  manner.  In  the  forecastle  I 
called  the  cook. 

"Did  you  send  down  after  potatoes?"  I  in 
quired. 

"No,  sir,"  replied  the  cook,  petulantly.  "That 
man  has  brought  up  more  potatoes  than  I  can  use 
in  a  week.  I  made  him  carry  back  a  lot  of  them 
this  forenoon." 

"Frinks,  how  much  did  the  tall  man  pay  you 
for  what  you  have  done  for  him?" 

"He  gave  me  five  sovereigns,  and  promised  me 
five  more  if  he  got  safely  to  England,"  growled 
the  hold-man.  "But  he  told  me  that  you  and  Mr. 
Grimsby  wanted  him  to  go  in  the  yacht,  but  you 
were  afraid  of  offending  tho  governor,  and  would 
be  much  obliged  to  me  if  I  helped  him  off." 

"You  were  a  simpleton  to  believe  him.  Give 
him  back  his  money,"  I  replied. 

Frinks  gave  him  the  five  sovereigns,  which  Mc- 
Fordingham  did  not  object  to  receive.  They  had 
made  the  arrangement  when  the  purveyor  brought 
the  vegetables  on  board,  and  McFordingham  was 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLED.      2G3 

to  have  been  concealed  before  the  vessel  sailed; 
but  the  affair  at  Cherrystone  Hill  had  rendered  it 
dangerous  for  him  to  show  himself  in  the  town. 
He  was  refused  a  passage  in  the  steamer,  and 
then  fell  back  upon  this  arrangement. 

The  scheme  which  had  led  to  the  discovery  of 
the  convict's  hiding-place  had  been  invented  by 
the  mate.  The  approaching  sail  was  not  a  man- 
of-war  and  the  second  mate  had  been  stationed  in 
his  room  to  watch  the  movements  of  McFording- 
hain  after  he  had  been  told  that  he  was  to  be 
transferred  to  her. 

"I  have  had  quite  enough  of  you,  McFording- 
hain,"  I  said  to  the  convict,  when  I  had  settled 
the  matter.  "Mr.  Spelter,  if  this  man  goes  abaft 
the  foremast,  either  on  deck  or  below,  put  him 
in  irons." 

"I  will,"  replied  the  mate. 

I  was  not  aware  that  there  were  any  irons  on 
board ;  but  I  was  afraid  the  fellow  had  a  mission 
with  Larry,  which  he  might  attempt  to  execute. 


264  SEA   AND    SHORE,.  OR 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

IN   WHICH    PHIL   AND    LARRY    SET   OUT   ON   A   LONG 
TRAMP. 

I  BEGGED  Larry  not  to  take  any  further  no 
tice  of  McFordingham,  for  even  the  mock 
consideration  extended  to  him  inflated  his  vanity 
and  induced  him  to  take  liberties  which  were  In 
tolerable  to  me,  and  especially  so  to  the  mate,  who 
disliked  "Longshanks"  with  an  intensity  which 
bordered  on  hatred.  Mr.  Spelter  kept  a  sharp 
eye  upon  him,  and,  I  think,  would  have  been  very 
glad  to  catch  the  fellow  abaft  the  foremast,  for  the 
sake  of  giving  him  a  little  wholesome  discipline ; 
but  Mac  was  prudent,  and  did  not  furnish  the 
opportunity. 

Our  voyage  was  pleasant  and  prosperous,  with 
out  an  incident  worthy  of  note  after  the  events  de 
scribed.  The  routine  of  life  on  board  was  about 
the  same  every  day.  We  ate,  drank,  slept,  read, 


THE  TEAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      265 

played  our  games,  and  were  quite  as  happy  as  we 
should  have  been  on  shore,  without  the  wonders 
of  the  sea  to  instruct  and  improve  us.  Lady 
Eleanor  appeared  to  enjoy  the  trip  to  the  end, 
though  I  think  she  began  to  weary  of  it  before  we 
arrived  at  our  destination.  Larry  was  very  at 
tentive  to  her,  and  I  am  afraid,  if  Blanche  Fenni- 
more  had  been  on  board,  she  would  have  been 
just  a  little  jealous,  because  ladies  can't  help 
such  feelings;  though,  if  she  had  been  present, 
there  would  probably  have  been  no  occasion  for 
jealousy.  We  had  some  rainy  weather,  and  a 
mild  gale ;  but  there  was  nothing  that  could  be 
called  severe.  For  half  a  day  we  were  under  jib 
and  reefed  mainsail,  but  the  reef  was  only  to  save 
the  nerves  of  the  ladies. 

In  twenty-one  days  from  the  Bermudas  we  were 
at  anchor  in  King's  Road,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Avon,  for  the  wind  and  tide  did  not  permit  us 
to  ascend  the  river  to  Bristol.  We  landed  our 
passengers  and  their  luggage  at  Portishead. 

1  'If  you  please,  Captain  Farringf ord ,  I  will 
land  here,  and  not  trouble  you  to  carry  me  up  to 
Bristol,"  said  McFordingham,  as  the  boats  were 
ready  to  depart  from  the  yacht. 


266  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

"I  think  you  had  better  content  yourself  for  a 
while  longer  on  board,"  I  replied. —  "Shove  off." 

The  boats  pushed  off.  I  had  bidden  adieu  to 
our  passengers,  but  Larry  went  ashore,  intending 
to  accompany  them  to  Bristol. 

"As  I  am  an  unwelcome  guest  here,  I  am 
anxious  to  relieve  you  of  my  presence,"  added 
McFordingham.  "It  is  not  agreeable  to  the  feel 
ings  of  a  gentleman  to  be  in  the  company  of  those 
who  do  not  want  him." 

"You  should  have  considered  that  question  be 
fore  you  came  on  board,"  I  answered. 

"Circumstances  alter  cases." 

"They  do;  and  they  alter  this  case  so  that  you 
can't  go  on  shore  till  your  friends  come  to  re 
ceive  you." 

"I  don't  understand  you,  Captain  Farringford." 

"As  the  matter  now  stands,  you  are  an  escaped 
convict.  I  do  not  intend  to  incur  the  charge  of 
having  assisted  you  to  escape." 

"My  time  has  expired." 

"I  don't  know  whether  it  has  or  not.  Let 
others  decide  that  question.  I  shall  hand  you 
over  to  the  authorities." 

"Captain  Farringford,  I  have  had  the  highest 
opinion  of  you  as  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  honor ; 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       207 

and  I  did  not  think  you  capable  of  this  degree  of 
cruelty,"  added  the  captain,  his  jaw  falling  at  the 
announcement  I  made. 

4 'Do  you  think  I  would  throw  such  a  villain  as 
you  have  proved  yourself  to  be  upon  the  com 
munity  ?" 

"Sir I  I  permit  no  man  to  call  me  a  villain," 
exclaimed  the  convict,  straightening  up  his  long 
body. 

"It  is  quite  time  that  we  speak  the  truth.  You 
went  out  to  Cherrystone  Hill  with  Miles  Grimsby, 
armed  with  pistols,  to  waylay  and  murder  our 
owner  or  myself,  or  both  of  us.  There  is  no  other 
name  than  villain  in  my  vocabulary  for  a  man  who 
does  such  a  thing." 

"Sir,  I  went  out,  as  a  gentleman,  upon  an  affair 
of  honor." 

*  'That's  enough.    We  will  not  argue  the  point. ' ' 

"You  called  me  a  villain,  Captain  Farringford, 
and  I  demand  satisfaction,"  cried  the  captain, 
shaking  his  fist  in  my  face. 

"I'll  give  you  satisfaction,"  said  Mr.  Spelter, 
who,  with  the  second  mate,  laid  violent  hands  on 
him,  and  tied  his  arms  behind  his  back.  "You 
are  abaft  the  foremast. ' ' 


268  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"This  is  an  outrage  upon  a  British  subject," 
sputtered  the  prisoner. 

"All  right,  my  hearty,"  replied  the  mate,  as 
he  made  him  fast  to  the  rail  on  the  forecastle. 

The  boats  returned,  and  the  next  morning  we 
ran  up  the  Avon,  and  went  into  the  dock  at 
Bristol.  When  the  pilot  went  ashore,  he  sent 
a  couple  of  officers  on  board,  and  McFordingham 
was  handed  over  to  them.  He  said  but  little 
now,  when  he  found  that  fine  speeches  were 
unavailing. 

"Captain  Farringford,  you  might  have  made 
a  friend  of  me;  but  you  have  chosen  to  be  my 
enemy.  I  am  your  foe  now;  and,  when  you  and 
your  friend  least  expect  it,  I  shall  be  with  you," 
said  he,  as  the  officers  were  coming  off.  "My 
time  is  out,  and  I  shall  not  be  sent  back  to  the 
Bermudas.  I  shall  only  be  vexed  and  annoyed 
by  your  conduct." 

I  do  not  know  but  this  fellow  thought  himself 
an  injured  man;  he  talked  and  acted  like  one. 
The  officers  took  him ;  but,  unhappily,  we  had  not 
yet  seen  the  last  of  him. 

"Frinks,"  I  called,  as  soon  as  the  captain  had 
been  removed. 

"Here,  sir,"  replied  the  hold-man. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER .       269 

"We  don't  want  you  any  longer/'  I  continued. 

"I  shipped  for  the  voyage,  sir." 

"I  will  not  have  a  man  on  board  who  is  not 
faithful  to  his  employers.  You  have  been  guilty 
of  conspiracy  in  making  our  owner  and  the  offi 
cers  liable  for  assisting  a  convict  to  escape ;  and 
you  have  endangered  the  safety  of  the  vessel  by 
moving  the  ballast.  I  am  ready  to  go  to  the 
American  consul's  with  you,  and  execute  the 
necessary  bond." 

"I  didn't  mean  any  harm,"  pleaded  the  man. 

I  went  on  shore  with  him,  and  the  consul  de 
cided  that  I  had  good  cause  to  discharge  him. 
He  gave  me  his  written  and  sealed  consent  to  the 
discharge.  I  paid  Frinks  more  than  he  was  enti 
tled  to  receive ;  and  I  hope  he  left  with  the  feeling 
that  it  is  always  better  to  do  right  than  wrong. 

Leaving  the  yacht  in  charge  of  Mr.  Spelter,  I 
went  to  the  hotel  with  my  valise,  whero  I  was 
to  meet  Larry.  Our  passengers  had  already  de 
parted,  and  we  were  soon  on  our  way  to  Bloom- 
ridge,  the  seat  of  the  Grimsbys.  I  need  not  say 
that  Larry  was  cordially  and  affectionately  greeted 
by  Sir  Philip.  The  baronet  was  intensely  indig 
nant  at  the  conduct  of  Miles ;  and  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  he  used  some  bad  language  in  his  anger. 


270  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

"I'll  disinherit  him!  I'll  cut  him  off  with  a 
shilling,"  protested  Sir  Philip. 

"Don't  do  it,  sir.  Give  him  a  fair  half  of  all 
you  have  to  divide  between  him  and  rne,"  pleaded 
Larry. 

"I  will  not.  He  is  a  bad  boy.  Let  him  earn 
his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  The  rascal 
has  been  borrowing  large  sums  on  the  credit  of 
his  future  prospects.  He  shall  be  a  beggar  yet," 
stormed  the  old  gentleman. 

"He  has  done  his  worst  now,"  added  Larry. 
"I  beg  you  will  not  punish  him  for  anything  he 
has  done  to  me." 

"He  is  a  bad  boy.  He  don't  deserve  anything 
of  me,  and  certainly  he  don't  of  you.  It  is  a  pity 
he  didn't  go  to  the  bottom  in  his  yacht." 

Larry  had  been  turning  the  leaves  of  a  large 
clasp  Bible  that  lay  on  the  centre-table,  as  Sir 
Philip  paced  the  room.  He  raised  the  book  and 
read, — 

"  'Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  and  hate  thine  enemy. 
But  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate 
you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       271 

you  and  persecute  you ;  that  ye  may  be  the  chil 
dren  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven;  for  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.'  J 

The  baronet  paused  opposite  Larry  as  he  be 
gan  to  read.  His  lip  quivered,  and  I  thought  he 
would  fly  into  a  passion  with  his  grandson.  He 
listened  a  moment.  Larry  was  reverent  and 
gentle  in  his  manner  and  his  tones.  Before  he 
had  finished  reading  the  passage,  I  saw  that  Sir 
Philip's  anger  had  passed  away.  Larry  closed 
the  book,  and  the  baronet  dropped  into  his  chair 
without  another  word. 

4 'If  Miles  had  fired  a  bullet  into  my  head,  and  I 
had  only  one  brief  moment  to  live,  I  should  thank 
God  that  I  had  not  tried  to  injure  my  cousin;  that 
in  my  heart  I  had  forgiven  him,'*  said  my  friend. 

'•I  dare  say  you  are  right,  my  boy;  indeed,  I 
know  you  are.  We  will  think  of  the  matter 
again,"  replied  Sir  Philip. 

We  staid  at  Grimsby  Hall  a  week,  and  then  re 
turned  to  the  yacht  at  Bristol.  However  interest 
ing  the  details  of  our  cruise  from  this  port,  around 
the  south  of  England,  to  the  coast  of  Norway, 
might  be,  I  have  not  the  space  to  give  them.  We 
put  into  various  harbors;  we  spent  a  week  in  the 


272  SEA   AND    SHORE;    OK 

Isle  of  Wight;  we  wandered  on  the  beaches  at 
Margate ;  we  poked  our  noses  into  Boulogne-sur- 
Mer;  we  left  the  yacht  at  Flushing,  and,  after  a 
run  through  Holland,  joined  her  again  at  the  Hel- 
der;  and  then  made  a  long  stretch  to  Bergen, 
where  we  arrived  late  in  June.  At  Cowes  we 
saw  the  Hermia,  and  learned  that  she  was  for 
sale,  because  Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  tired  of  yachting. 
She  had  arrived  about  the  time  the  Blanche  did, 
which  made  her  passage  a  week  longer  than  ours. 

We  were  delighted  with  the  Norwegian  coast, 
and  especially  with  the  Fjord,  through  which  we 
made  our  way  to  Bergen.  We  found  two  English 
yachts  at  anchor  there,  but  we  did  not  visit  them, 
for  we  were  in  haste  to  commence  one  of  the 
tramps  upon  which  we  had  so  long  exercised  our 
imaginations.  We  had  purchased  everything 
which  pedestrians  could  need,  and  packed  the 
articles  in  knapsacks.  Gayly  we  strapped  them 
on  our  backs,  and  set  out  upon  our  long  tramp. 
The  Blanche,  i:i  charge  of  Mr.  Spelter,  was  to  sail 
round  the  coast  to  Frederiksvaern,  and  await  our 
arrival.  We  had  spent  a  day  in  Bergen,  and 
started  early  in  the  morning. 

We  had  our  "sea  legs"  on,  so  that  walking  was 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.  >     273 

not  an  easy  thing  at  first.  The  earth  was  un 
steady  under  our  feet,  and  kept  rolling  and  jerk 
ing.  After  a  tramp  of  five  miles  we  agreed  that 
we  were  tired.  Seeing  a  brook  a  short  distance 
from  the  road,  we  seated  ourselves  upon  a  rock 
on  its  bank,  where  we  could  refresh  ourselves 
with  a  drink  of  water.  We  ate  a  slight  lunch  of 
sausage  and  English  biscuit. 

4 'We  are  a  handsome  couple,  Phil,"  laughed 
Larry.  "We  have  been  talking  about  this  tramp 
through  Norway  for  months,  and  now  we  are  tired 
out  after  a  walk  of  five  miles." 

"I  expected  to  be  very  tired  at  first,"  I  replied. 
"I  never  could  walk  a  great  distance  after  coming 
from  sea;  it  makes  my  legs  ache.  But  I  notice 
that  after  a  half  hour's  rest  I  am  as  good  as  new." 

4 'But  have  you  any  idea  that  we  can  make 
thirty  miles  a  day?" 

"Certainly  I  have;  forty  if  we  choose,  after  we 
are  broken  in.  I  met  a  gentleman  last  year  at 
Dresden  who  told  me  he  had  walked  fifty  miles  in 
a  day.  When  we  get  our  sea  legs  off  we  shall  be 
all  right," 

"I  hope  so,  for  I  enjoy  walking  when  I  am  not 
too  tired," 

18 


274  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"We  have  only  about  a  dozen  miles  to  walk  to 
day,  and  then  we  take  a  boat." 

"lam  ready  for  the  boat  now/'  laughed  Larry, 
as  he  lay  back  on  the  rock  and  closed  his  eyes. 

At  this  moment  I  heard  the  rattle  of  a  couple  of 
carioles,  which  soon  passed  in  the  road  near  us. 
They  were  occupied  by  Englishmen,  and  were 
going  at  a  furious  pace,  and  I  could  not  see  the 
faces  of  the  travellers ;  but  I  noticed  that  one  of 
them  was  a  remarkably  tall  man,  and  that  the 
other  wore  a  Scotch  cap. 

"Larry,  who  are  those  people?"  I  asked,  as  my 
companion  started  up. 

"How  should  I  know?"  he  replied;  "I  haven't 
been  introduced  to  them." 

"But  look  at  the  tall  fellow." 

"I  see  him." 

"He  has  a  big  red  mustache  and  bushy  red 
hair." 

"I'm  willing." 

"Well,  I  think  you  have  been  introduced  to 
him." 

"Possibly.     Who  is  he?" 

"In  my  opinion  it  is  Captain  Gregory  McFord- 
ingham,  who  promised  to  appear  to  me  when  I 
least  expected  to  see  him." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       275 

"Of  course   the  other  fellow  is  Miles,  then." 

"Very  likely." 

"But  I  don't  believe  it.  It  is  too  absurd. 
How  could  Miles  and  that  tall  flunky  be  here?" 

"I  don't  suppose  they  are  here  by  accident;  if 
they  were  it  might  be  strange.  Do  you  flatter 
yourself  that  Miles  is  done  with  you?" 

"I  did  think  we  were  rid  of  him." 

"Not  yet.  The  rascal  will  follow  you,  or  send 
some  one  after  you,  till  you  are  out  of  the  way. 
Norway  is  just  the  place  for  his  operations." 

"How  could  he  be  here?" 

"Easily  enough.  I  have  no  doubt  he  reached 
England  before  we  did,  even  if  he  had  to  wait 
a  week  in  New  York  for  a  steamer.  Perhaps 
he  came  here  in  one  of  those  yachts  we  saw  at 
Bergen.  I  am  sorry  we  didn't  ascertain  more 
about  them." 

"But  how  should  he  know  where  we  were 
going?"  asked  Larry,  who  seemed  to  be  rather 
troubled  by  the  situation. 

"We  stated  our  plans  very  clearly  at  the 
table  of  the  governor  in  the  Bermudas.  You 
said  we  should  take  a  tramp  from  Bergen  to 
Christiania,  by  the  way  of  the  Voriugfos  and  the 


276  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

Rjukanfos.  Then  we  talked  it  over  with  the 
yacht  people  at  Cowes.  I  fancy  that  Miles  knows 
just  where  we  are  going." 

"Grant  that  Miles  might  be  here;  the  captain 
must  be  on  his  way  to  the  Bermudas  before  this 
time , ' '  added  Larry . 

"Doubtless  the  fellow  sent  for  Miles  when  he 
was  in  limbo.  If  the  rascal's  time  was  out,  per 
haps  he  was  discharged.  The  Hcrmia  was  for 
sale  when  we  were  at  Cowes,  and  very  likely 
Miles  bought  her  for  this  excursion.  Don't  you 
think  we  had  better  change  our  route,  Larry?" 

"Not  I,  my  boy.  I  won't  dodge  Miles  and 
his  flunky.  But  perhaps  it  is  fortunate  that 
we  brought  our  revolvers,"  replied  my  friend, 
decidedly. 

After  resting  an  hour,  we  resumed  our  walk, 
as-  fresh  as  in  the  morning.  Before  noon  we 
reached  a  post  station  on  one  of  the  fjords  whose 
arms  extend  far  inland,  where,  after  dinner,  we 
took  a  boat  with  two  rowers.  We  saw  nothing 
of  the  carioles  or  their  occupants,  who,  if  they 
were  the  persons  I  supposed,  did  not  appear  to 
be  watching  us  very  closely. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      277 


CHAPTER   XX. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   AND   LARRY  VISIT   THE  VORINGFOS, 
IN   NORWAY. 

E  seated  ourselves  in  the  boat,  in  which 
we  were  to  spend  the  afternoon,  and  had 
shoved  off,  when  a  cariole  dashed  up  to  the  sta 
tion-house  on  the  shore. 

"Boat  ahoy!"  shouted  a  familiar  voice. 

"That's  Spelter !  "  I  exclaimed,  making  signs  to 
the  rowers  to  return,  for  I  could  not  speak  a  word 
of  their  language.  "I  wonder  what  has  hap 
pened. >J 

"Perhaps  the  Blanche  has  sunk  or  burned  up," 
suggested  Larry. 

"Of  course  something  has  occurred,  or  he 
wouldn't  run  after  us." 

The  oarsmen  pulled  back  to  the  shore,  where 
we  found  the  honest  mate  in  a  state  of  high 
excitement.  We  supposed  he  had  sailed  from 


278  SEA   AND   SHOKE,  OR 

Bergen  before  this  time,  and  was  on  his  way  to 
Frederiksvsern. 

"What's  the  trouble,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I  de 
manded,  as  we  landed. 

"Trouble  enough,  sir,"  replied  the  mate,  look* 
ing  as  solemn  as  an  owl.  "I  couldn't  sail  with- 

O 

out  letting  you  know  the  news." 

"Well,  what  is  the  news?"  asked  Larry,  laugh 
ing.  "Has  the  foreto' -bobbin  broke  down,  or  the 
main-royal  backstay  given  out?" 

"I  don't  think  it's  any  laughing  matter,  Mr. 
Grimsby,  though  you  may." 

"You  don't  give  me  the  means  of  judging  yet," 
added  Larry.  "If  you  will  tell  us  what  the 
trouble  is,  we  shall  know  whether  to  laugh  or 
cry." 

"Well,  sir,  Mr.  Miles  Grimsby  is  on  your 
track  again,"  said  the  mate,  delivering  himself  as 
though  he  had  dropped  a  bombshell  at  the  feet 
of  his  employer. 

"No;  we  are  on  his  track,  for  he  has  gone 
ahead,"  replied  Larry  "Of  course  you  are 
aware  that  McFordingham  is  his  interesting  com 
panion." 

"Yes,  sir.     I  came  out   here  to  tell  you  these 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      279 

facts;  but  you  seem  to  kn6w  them,  and  I'm  sorry 
I  came,"  muttered  the  mate,  disappointed  because 
he  had  failed  to  produce  a  decided  sensation. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Spelter,  you  have  done  just  the 
right  thing  at  just  the  right  time,  and  I  am  grate 
ful  to  you  for  your  interest  and  sympathy.  We 
happened  to  obtain  a  glance  of  Miles  and  his  tall 
satellite  as  they  drove  by  in  carioles.  We  were 
sitting  on  a  rock,  out  of  the  road,  and  I  am  con- 
fident  they  did  not  see  us.  We  thought  it  even 
possible  that  we  were  mistaken.  You  have  set 
tled  the  matter  finally  and  conclusively.  You 
have  done  your  duty  faithfully,  as  you  always  do, 
and  I  commend  you." 

"I  was  afraid  they  might  drop  down  upon  you 
with  a  blunderbuss  or  a  pair  of  pistols,  as  they 
did  in  the  Bermudas, "answered  the  mate,  satisfied 
with  the  commendation  of  Larry. 

*  'Exactly  so.  But  tell  us  what  you  know  about 
them,"  said  Larry. 

"While  I  was  waiting  for  the  tide  to  turn,  so 
that  we  could  go  to  sea,  I  thought  I  would  pass 
the  time  of  day  with  the  two  yachts  that  lay  in 
port.  The  first  one  I  went  to  was  the  Hermia; 
and  the  first  man  I  saw  on  board  of  her  was 


280  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

Frinks,  the  man  we  discharged.  He  was  impu 
dent  and  sauc}r,  and  I  wanted  to  wring  his  nose 
for  him.  He  told  me  you  didn't  make  much  by 
discharging  him;  1) ut  I  said  we  got  rid  of  him, 
and  that  was  all  we  wanted.  He  wished  to  make 
it  out  that  he  was  better  off  than  in  the  Blanche, 
and  was  glad  to  get  out  of  her.  Then  he  couldn't 
help  telling  me  that  Longshanks  didn't  go  back  to 
the  Bermudas,  for  a  pettifogger  had  got  him  out 
of  the  scrape  for  five  pounds,  and  that  Longshanks 
had  given  him  back  the  money  you  made  him  re 
turn.  They  went  to  Cowes  together,  where  they 
found  Miles,  who  had  just  bought  the  Hermia. 
While  I  was  listening  to  the  fellow,  Osborne  came 
out  of  the  cabin,  and  I  found  he  was  the  sail 
ing-master  of  the  yacht. ' ' 

"Miles  has  a  pleasant  company,"   said  Larry. 

"Well,  sir,  I  knew  what  they  were  here  for,  and 
I  went  ashore  as  fast  as  four  oars  could  pull  me 
there.  I  knew  you  had  started  on-  your  tramp, 
and  I  found  that  Miles  and  Longshanks  had  gone 
the  same  way.  I  didn't  like  the  looks  of  things. 
The  landlord  of  the  hotel  where  you  were  told  me 
all  about  it,  and  I  made  tracks  after  you.  Don't 
you  think  I'd  better  go  with  you  on  this  tramp?" 
asked  Spelter. 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       281 

"What  for?" 

"Well,  I  should  like  to  get  hold  of  Longshanks 
once  more.  I  would  make  him  wish  he  was  in  the 
Bermudas  again." 

"I  dare  say  you  would,  my  marine  friend,  but 
discretion  is  sometimes  better  than  zeal.  I  think 
I  can  take  care  of  myself;  but  I  am  grateful  to 
you  for  your  kind  intentions.  Now  you  may  re 
turn,  and  sail  as  soon  as  you  are  ready.  You  need 
not  inform  your  friends  where  you  are  going," 
replied  Larry. 

"Not  I.  I  listen,  and  keep  still,  myself.  I  sup 
pose  the  Hermia  will  follow  us  wherever  we  go; 
but,  if  she  isn't  faster  than  I  think  she  is,  she  will 
have  to  sail  by  faith  rather  than  by  sight. ' ' 

"Right!  I'll  trust  you  anywhere,  Spelter. 
Good  by,"  said  Larry,  as  we  returned  to  our 
boat. 

The  mate  watched  us  till  we  were  out  of  sight. 
Of  his  fidelity  there  could  be  no  doubt;  and  the 
honest  fellow  evidently  did  not  like  to  have  us 
incur  the  risks  before  us  without  his  aid.  At 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  though  the  sun  was 
still  above  the  horizon,  we  arrived  at  a  place 
called  Evanger,  where  we  spent  the  night.  We 


282  SEA   AND   SHOEE,   OR 

found  a  couple  of  Englishmen  here,  one  of  whom 
told  us  that  two  travellers,  one  of  them  very  tall, 
had  left  for  Vossevaugen  two  or  three  hours 
before. 

"Of  course  they  were  Miles  and  the  captain; 
but  I  don't  understand  their  game,"  said  Larry. 

"They  know  we  are  going  to  the  Voringfos, 
and  perhaps  intend  to  wait  there  for  us," 

"They  may  have  to  wait  a  long  time,"  laughed 
Larry. 

In  the  morning  we  started  on  foot  for  Vossevan- 
gen,  about  twelve  miles  distant.  The  scenery 
was  delightful,  and  we  spent  the  whole  day  on  the 
road.  When  we  reached  our  destination  we 
found  capital  quarters  at  the  post  station,  which 
was  011  the  bank  of  a  small  lake.  The  landlord 
spoke  English  very  well,  and  had  no  guests  in  his 
house.  Miles  and  the  tall  man  had  staid  there 
the  night  before,  and  hastened  on  early  in  the 
morning. 

1  'They  inquired  for  two  young  men,"  added  the 
landlord. 

"Have  you  seen  the  young  men?"  I  asked. 

"Yes;  they  went  forward  the  day  before,  and 
were  going  to  Ulvik." 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       283 

Larry  laughed,  and  thought  "two  young  men" 
was  rather  an  indefinite  description. 

We  liked  the  hotel  and  the  landlord  so  well  that 
we  remained  at  this  place  three  days,  one  of 
which  was  Sunday,  when  we  had  the  opportunity 
of  seeing  the  people  of  the  village  at  church  in 
their  best  clothes.  We  went  trouting  one  day  in 
the  lake,  and  the  next  in  the  river  which  flows 
into  it.  We  were  realizing  all  we  had  anticipated, 
and  we  almost  forgot  Miles  and  his  tall  flunky. 
Again  we  set  out  on  our  tramp.  We  were  now 
accustomed  to  the  solid  earth,  and  walked  twenty 
miles  in  one  day,  which  brought  us  to  Ulvik.  The 
"tall  man"  h:id  not  been  there,  and  it  was  prob 
able  that  Miles  had  gone  from  Eider  directly  by 
boat  to  Yik,  which  is  the  place  from  which  excur 
sions  are  made  to  the  Voringfos.  We  went  to 
Vik;  the  enemy  had  been  there  before  us,  and 
were  at  the  falls;  had  gone  the  day  before,  and 
were  expected  to  return  that  night.  We  engaged 
a  guide  and  a  boat  for  the  next  day.  We  learned 
that  there  was  a  kind  of  shanty  at  the  falls,  where 
four  persons  could  sleep  very  comfortably;  and 
we  decided  to  pass  one  night  there,  for  the  walk  up 
and  back  was  too  tiresome  to  be  made  in  one  day. 


284  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OH 

We  crossed  the  lake  the  next  morning,  and  com 
menced  our  up-hill  tramp.  By  noon  we  reached 
the  falls.  The  scenery  was  the  wildest  we  had 
ever  seen.  There  were  precipices  two  thousand 
feet  high,  and  chasms  twelve  hundred  feet  deep. 
The  Voringfos  itself  is  a  cataract,  which  falls  in 
one  sheet  about  nine  hundred  feet.  It  was  sub 
lime  ;  and  we  were  deeply  impressed  by  the  wild 
grandeur  that  surrounded  us,  which  towered  above, 
and  was  spread  out  beneath  us.  We  stood  on  a 
shelf  of  rock  which  extended  out  over  a  chasm 
more  than  a  thousand  feet  deep.  Peder,  our 
guide,  had  a  piece  of  whale-line,  about  twenty- 
five  feet  long,  the  ends  of  which  we  secured 
around  our  bodies,  while  the  bight  of  it  was 
passed  around  a  small  pine  tree.  Thus  guarded 
against  any  accident,  we  lay  down  on  the  rock 
and  gazed  into  the  abyss  beneath  us,  while  Peder 
went  to  the  shanty  to  procure  some  milk  for  our 
lunch. 

"That's  a  big  hole,  Phil,"  said  Larry,  as  we  lay 
on  the  rock,  surveying  the  depths  below.  "If  a 
fellow  should  tumble  over,  it  would  be  apt  to 
wrench  him  a  little." 

"Don't  try  it,  Larry,"  I  replied;  "it  would 
make  your  head  ache." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      285 

"I  think  it  would.  But  this  is  really  the 
grandest  thing  I  ever  saw  in  my  life." 

"Well,  I  don't  know  about  that.  It  is  high 
and  deep,  but  it  is  not  equal  to  Niagara." 

"There's  not  so  much  of  it,  I  know;  but  it's  a 
big  thing." 

"No  doubt  of  that." 

I  heard  footsteps  on  the  rock  near  me;  but, 
supposing  the  guide  had  returned  with  the  milk,  I 
did  not  look  behind  me,  being  fascinated  by  the 
wild  scene  before  me.  Suddenly  I  felt  a  sharp 
pull  on  the  rope.  I  supposed  it  was  one  of 
Larry's  practical  jokes. 

"Don't  fool  in  such  a  place  as  this,"  I  pro 
tested. 

The  pine  tree  around  which  the  rope  was 
passed  sent  its  branches  out  so  far  that  I  could 
not  see  my  friend  without  rising. 

"I'm  not  fooling,"  he  replied. 

"Didn't  you  pull  the  rope?" 

Before  I  could  receive  an  answer,  the  rope  was 
jerked  again  with  so  much  violence  that  I  was 
pulled  back  from  my  place.  I  sprang  to  my  feet, 
the  strain  of  the  rope  still  bearing  upon  me.  At 
the  same  instant  Larry  made  a  violent  movement. 


286  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

I  grasped  the  tree  for  support.  As  I  turned,  to 
my  horror  I  encountered  McFordingham,  and 
found  that  my  friend  was  over  the  precipice,  and 
supported  only  by  the  rope.  The  tall  villain  had 
a  pocket-knife  in  his  hand,  and  I  saw  that  he  in 
tended  to  cut  the  line.  Larry  was  struggling  at 
the  rope,  to  draw  himself  up,  and,  if  I  had  not 
held  on  at  the  pine  tree,  he  would  have  dragged 
me  after  him. 

When  I  rose  from  my  reclining  position  over 
the  chasm,  I  let  out  nearly  half  the  length  of  the 
line,  and  my  friend  dropped  that  distance  below 
the  edge  of  the  cliff.  With  my  left  arm  around 
the  pine,  I  took  from  my  pocket  the  revolver 
I  carried. 

"If  you  touch  that  rope,  you  are  a  dead  man," 
I  shouted  to  the  convict. 

"I  only  desire  to  save  your  friend,"  replied 
McFordingham . 


"Begone!" 


I  pointed  the  pistol  at  him,  and  he  retreated. 
Suddenly  the  pressure  on  the  rope  ceased,  and 
my  heart  came  into  my  mouth.  I  pulled  at  the 
line,  but  there  was  no  longer  any  weight. upon  it. 
I  drew  it  up,  and  found  that  the  knot  in  the  end, 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       287 

by  which  the  loop  had  been  secured,  was  untied. 
I  threw  myself  upon  the  ground  in  utter  horror 
and  despair.  My  poor  friend  had  dropped  into 
the  abyss  beneath.  The  cold  chills  swept  through 
my  frame,  and  the  blood  seemed  to  be  frozen  in 
my  veins.  Why  had  I  not  compelled  Larry  to 
shun  this  place  while  that  tall  fiend  was  on  his 
track?  Why  had  I  permitted  him  to  come  here, 
when  I  knew  that  Miles  and  the  captain  had  not 
returned  to  Vik? 

McFordingham  stood  at  a  short  distance  from 
me,  where  he  had  halted  when  I  lowered  the 
pistol.  He  looked  terrified  rather  than  guilty. 

"May  I  speak  to  you,  Captain  Farringford?" 
said  he. 

"You  have  done  your  work,"  I  cried. 

"I  have  done  nothing.  I  went  there  to  warn 
you  of  the  peril  of  that  place,'*  replied  he,  in  loud 
tones.  "Poor  Miles  perished  there  yesterday, 
and—" 

"Miles!"  I  exclaimed. 

"Will  you  hear  me?" 

"I  will."     And  I  walked  towards  him. 

"You  will  not  believe  that  I  could  do  so  awful 
a  deed  as  you  say  I  have.  Upon  my  honor  as  a 
gentleman  — " 


288  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OK 

"Did  you  say  that  Miles  fell  over  the  preci 
pice?" 

"Yesterday.  Our  guide  is  below  now,  looking 
for  his  remains.  That  is  a  very  dangerous  place; 
and  when  I  saw  you  and  your  friend, —  I  did  not 
know  who  you  were, —  I  seized  him  by  the  legs. 
He  kicked  me,  and  in  his  struggle  slid  off  the 
edge  of  the  precipice,  just  as  Miles  did.  They 
are  together  now,"  replied  McFordingham,  wip 
ing  his  eyes  with  a  very  dirty  handkerchief. 

I  could  not  believe  the  villain's  story,  but  be 
cause  he  told  it,  rather  than  because  it  was  im 
probable  in  itself. 

"What  were  you  doing  with  the  knife  in  your 
hand?"  I  demanded. 

"I  was  going  to  cut  the  rope,"  he  replied, 
boldly. 

"Cut  the  rope?" 

"Yes;  cut  the  rope,  for  I  expected  to  see  you 
go  over  after  him,  and  I  was  determined  to  save 
one  of  you,  if  I  could  not  both." 

"Why  didn't  you  take  hold  of  the  rope  and 
help  me  haul  him  up?" 

"I  was  afraid  he  would  drag  me  over  after  him. 
If  you  had  seen  your  best  friend  go  over  into  that 
awful  abyss,  you  would  have  felt  as  I  did." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       289 

"I  do  not  believe  a  word  you  have  said,"  I 
added. 

"You   wrong  me,  Captain  Farringford." 

"You  told  me  you  would  appear  at  a  moment 
when  I  least  expected  to  see  you ;  and  you  have. ' ' 

"I  will  not  argue  the  matter.  I  attempted  to 
save  your  friend,  and  I  should  have  done  so  if 
you  had  not  threatened  me  with  your  pistol  just 
as  I  was  going  to  pull  him  up." 

"Villain!  you  were  going  to  cut  the  rope,  just 
now." 

"If  I  could  not  save  him,  I  should  have  cut  it, 
in  order  to  save  you.  You  wrong  me.  I  desired 
only  to  serve  you  both.  If  1  had  known  who  you 
were,  I  would  not  have  gone  near  you, "  muttered 
the  wretch.  "I  knew  that  the  rock  on  the  edge 
of  the  precipice  keeps  breaking  off,  and  letting 
people  fall  over ;  but  you  did  not.  I  saw  my  poor 
friend  go  over,  and  I  would  save  even  my  worst 
enemy  from  such  a  horrible  fate." 

I  went  back  to  the  cliff,  and  lay  down  on  the 
spot  which  Larry  had  occupied.  I  trembled  and 
groaned  with  horror  as  I  thought  of  him,  lying 
mangled  and  dead  in  the  abyss  beneath.  Was  it 
even  possible  that  Miles  had  met  with  a  similar 
19 


290  SEA   AND   SHOEE,  OR 

fate?  I  could  not  yet  believe  it.  I  was  be 
wildered  -,  almost  crazy,  as  I  tried  to  discover  the 
body  of  Larry  in  the  dark  depths  beneath. 

"Phil!" 

It  was  the  voice  of  my  friend,  and  apparently 
not  ten  feet  below  me.  My  heart  leaped  again. 

"Where  are  you,  Larry?"  I  called. 

"Here,"  he  replied,  " all  right." 

"O,  Larry!"  I  exclaimed. 

I  turned,  and  found  that  the  captain  had  de 
parted. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      291 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

IN    WHICH    PHIL     RESCUES     LARRY     FROM    A    VERY 
PERILOUS    POSITION. 

THE  events  which  had  occurred  on  the  brink 
of  the  precipice  were  all  compressed  into 
the  space  of  less  than  a  minute  —  far  less  time 
than  it  requires  to  relate  them.  From  the  instant 
that  I  felt  the  first  jerk  of  the  rope  till  it  ceased 
to  bear  upon  my  body,  was  hardly  an  instant. 
The  branches  of  the  Norwegian  pine  between 
Larry  and  myself  prevented  me  from  seeing  him, 
and  from  seeing  the  captain  when  he  appeared. 
At  the  first  jerk  of  the  rope  I  had  spoken  to  my 
friend,  and  he  had  answered  me,  so  that  he  could 
have  had  no  suspicion  of  anything  wrong  until  he 
went  over  the  precipice,  and  was  dangling  above 
the  deep  abyss,  held  up  only  by  the  rope.  Of 
course,  when  the  pressure  ceased,  I  concluded 
that  he  had  fallen  into  the  depths  below. 


292  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

Horror  and  despair  filled  my  soul  then,  though 
the  intelligence  imparted  by  McFordingham,  that 
Miles  had  been  the  victim  of  a  similar  calamity, 
for  an  instant  diverted  my  thoughts.  I  could  see 
no  reason  why  the  villain  should  make  such  a  state 
ment  if  it  were  not  true.  Perhaps  it  was  made  to 
startle  me,  and  throw  me  off  my  guard,  in  order 
to  prevent  me  from  using  the  pistol  in  my  hand. 
I  was  confident  that  the  exhibition  of  this  weapon 
had  saved  me  from  being  thrown  over  the  preci 
pice,  though  I  was  unable  fully  to  comprehend 
the  plan  of  the  villain. 

I  heard  the  voice  of  Larry.  It  was  his  voice, 
though  it  was  rather  hoarse  and  unnatural.  The 
sound  of  my  own  name  made  my  heart  leap.  My 
friend  assured  me  he  was  all  right,  and  I  thanked 
God  that  he  was  still  safe,  though  I  knew  not  in 
what  peril  he  might  be  at  that  instant. 

"Where  are  you?"  I  asked,  a  second  time, 
as  I  looked  over  the  cliff,  and  endeavored  to 
see  him. 

"Here;  I'm  safe,"  he  replied,  in  a  kind  of 
gasping  tone,  which  alarmed  me,  in  spite  of  the 
assurance  his  words  contained. 

"I  don't  see  you,"  1  replied. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       293 

"Do  you  see  the  bush  below  you?" 

I  saw  a  little  stunted  pine,  whose  top  projected 
beyond  the  rock  which  overhung  the  chasm. 
Grasping  the  doubled  rope,  which  still  passed 
around  the  pine  on  the  cliff,  I  leaned  over  as  far 
as  I  dared.  About  ten  feet  down  I  discovered  a 
shelf  in  the  rocks,  hardly  more  than  a  foot  wide, 
on  which  stood  Larry.  From  a  fissure  behind  it 
grew  the  pine,  to  which  he  was  clinging  for  life. 
My  heart  beat  wildly  when  I  saw  the  danger  of 
his  situation. 

4 'Hold  fast,  Larry,"  I  called  to  him. 

"I  am  all  right,"  he  answered.  "But  I  can't 
hold  out  here  more  than  a  week  or  two." 

It  was  a  ghastly  attempt  to  be  funny,  and  the 
tones  of  his  voice  belied  the  humor  he  attempted 
to  cultivate.  I  drew  back  with  the  utmost  care 
before  attempting  to  stand  up;  but  as  I  did  so,  a 
large  piece  of  the  rock  beneath  me  crumbled  off 
and  dropped  into  the  abyss.  My  blood  ceased  to 
flow  again,  as  I  thought  of  the  mischief  it  might 
have  done. 

"Larry! "  I  called,  in  an  agony  of  doubt. 

"All  right,  Phil,"  he  replied;  and  I  realized 
that  the  rock  had  not  struck  him.  "Don't  throw 
any  more  of  them  down,  for  one  may  hit  me." 


294  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

I  regained  my  feet.  I  looked  and  listened  for 
any  indications  of  the  presence  of  the  tall  villain; 
but  I  concluded  that  he  was  satisfied  with  the 
work  he  had  done,  and  had  departed  finally  from 
the  place.  I  made  one  end  of  the  rope  fast  to  the 
pine  tree,  near  its  roots,  and  then  tested  its 
strength  with  the  strongest  pull  I  could  give. 
Tying  a  small  stone  to  the  other  end  of  the  line, 
I  dropped  it  over  the  precipice.  1  swayed  it 
back  and  forth  till  it  swung  in  where  Larry  could 
reach  it. 

"Make  it  fast  under  your  arms,  Larry,"  I 
called  to  him.  "Be  careful  about  the  knot;  your 
life  depends  upon  it." 

He  made  no  reply ;  but  the  motion  of  the  rope 
assured  me  that  he  was  doing  what  I  required. 
As  he  was  no  sailor,  it  was  a  long  time  before 
he  appeared  to  be  satisfied  with  the  knot  he  tied. 

"All  ready,"  said  he,  at  last. 

"Are  you  sure  you  have  made  it  perfectly  se 
cure?"  I  asked. 

"I'll  risk  it,"  he  answered,  in  a  tone  which 
had  suddenly  become  cheerful  — •  a  result  which 
I  attributed  to  his  confidence  in  the  rope. 

"Are  you  comfortable  now?" 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       295 

"Not  particularly.  I  should  feel  better  in  the 
cabin  of  the  Blanche,"  he  replied. 

"Can  you  hold  on  a  little  while  longer?" 

"Yes;  half  an  hour." 

"I'm  afr.aid  I  can't  pull  you  up  alone.  But  the 
guide  will  be  here  soon." 

"I  can  haul  myself  up,"  he   added. 

"Don't  try  it." 

"Just  as  you  say,  Phil." 

My  patience  was  nearly  exhausted  before  Peder 
arrived  with  the  milk. 

"Come  quick!"I  shouted,  when  I  saw  him  at 
a  distance,  with  a  gesture  which  startled  him  out 
of  his  propriety,  and  caused  him  to  spill  half  the 
milk  in  the  vessel  he  carried. 

"What's  the  matter?"  he  asked,  looking  wildly 
around  him,  as  he  placed  the  little  wooden  pail  of 
milk  on  the  rock. 

"Man  the  rope,  here!"  I  replied,  picking  up 
the  line.  "All  ready,  Larry !" 

"I'm  all  right,"  answered  he. 

Peder  uttered  a  succession  of  exclamations  in 
his  own  language,  and  flew  around  like  a  parched 
pea  in  a  hot  skillet.  His  stock  of  English  was 
not  very  large;  and  the  more  I  talked  to  him,  the 


29(5  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

more  confused  he  became.  I  carefully  examined 
the  edge  of  the  overhanging  rock,  to  assure 
myself  that  no  more  of  it  could  be  broken  off.  I 
overhauled  the  line  to  see  that  there  were  no 
weak  places  in  it,  and  instructed  Peder  how  to  do 
his  share  of  the  work. 

"Now,  Larry,  grasp  the  rope  with  your  hands, 
and  swing  off,"  I  called  to  my  imperilled  friend. 

I  heard  the  straining  of  the  line  as  he  did  so, 
and  I  could  not  help  trembling  when  I  thought 
how  trivial  a  mishap  might  launch  him  into  eter 
nity.  Peder  and  I  seized  the  rope,  and  raised  the 
precious  burden  slowly  and  cautiously,  for  we 
were  in  danger  of  dashing  his  brains. out  on  the 
rock  which  projected  out  over  the  abyss.  Sway 
ing  the  rope  out  as  far  as  we  could,  when  Larry's 
head  came  up  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  we  landed 
him  safely  on  the  top  of  the  rock. 

"Thank  God,  you  are  safe!  "  I  cried,  as  I  sank 
down,  exhausted  as  much  by  my  emotions  as  by 
the  exertion  I  had  made. 

Larry  breathed  heavily,  and  his  face  was  deadly 
pale.  He  crawled  a  short  distance  from  the  prec 
ipice,  and  lay  gasping  on  the  rock.  Neither  of 
us  spoke  for  some  time ;  and  I  am  sure  that  both 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       297 

of  us  thanked  God  for  his  preservation  from  the 
depths  of  the  heart.  I  was  the  first  to  recover 
my  breath.  The  lifting  of  his  weight,  at  arm's 
length,  over  the  cliff,  had  required  the  outlay  of 
all  the  strength  I  had,  and  for  the  time  I  was  en 
tirely  used  up.  Peder  had  been  of  but  little  ser 
vice,  for  I  could  not  make  him  understand  what  he 
was  to  do. 

"Take  a  drink  of  milk,  Larry,"  said  I,  offering 
him  the  pail. 

"I'm  about  played  out,"  he  replied,  faintly. 
"That  scrape  has  taken  a  year's  growth  out  of 
me." 

"I  have  been  scared  out  of  more  than  a  year's 
growth,"  I  added. 

He  drank  a  portion  of  the  milk,  and  I  followed 
his  example.  Slowly  he  revived  from  his  ex 
haustion.  Eaisiug  himself  from  the  rock,  he  sat 
up.  He  glanced  at  the  cliff  and  shuddered.  I 
removed  the  rope  which  was  fastened  to  his  body. 

"I  don't  want  to  try  that  again,  Phil,"  said  he, 
languidly. 

"A  man  fell  over  there  yesterday,"  added 
Peder,  with  a  violent  gesture,  pointing  to  the 
rock. 


298  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

4 'Who  was  he?"  I  asked. 

* *I  don't  know.    He  was  with  a  very  long  man. " 

* 'Miles!"  said  Larry,  with  a  start. 

"How  do  you  know?"  I  demanded,  sharply, 
for  the  intelligence  seemed  to  confirm  the  state 
ment  of  the  captain. 

"The  people  at  the  house  say  so,"  answered 
Peder.  "The  rocks  break  off  and  let  him  down." 

"How  do  the  people  at  the  house  know?  Did 
any  of  them  see  him  fall?"  I  inquired. 

"No;  but  the  tall  man  say  so." 

"That's  one  good  reason  why  it  is  not  true," 
I  added.  "Do  you  know  when  the  tall  man  told 
them  so?" 

I  had  to  repeat  the  question  in  several  different 
forms  before  Peder  understood  me. 

"Just  now  —  this  morning.  The  long  man  tell 
me  to  tell  you  he  fall  over,"  protested  Peder, 
warmly.  "He  tell  me  to  tell  you  the  people 
say  so." 

"Did  the  people  tell  you  so?" 

"I  say,  he  tell  me  to  tell  you  the  people  tell 
me  so;  and  I  tell  you  so." 

"Where  is  the  tall  man  now?" 

"Gone  away." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       299 

"Gone   where?" 

"Back  to  Yik.  I  tell  you  what  he  tell  me  to 
tell  you,"  continued  Peder,  with  the  utmost  sim 
plicity.  "He  give  me  two  species  to  tell  you 
what  I  tell  you." 

"Did  he?"  I  added,  amused  at  the  stupidity 
of  the  guide. 

"You  don't  believe  it.  I  show  you  the 
money."  And  he  produced  two  bills,  each  of  the 
denomination  of  a  specie  dollar. 

Larry  could  not  help  laughing  with  me  at  the 
simplicity  of  Peder,  who  had  entirely  failed  to 
understand  what  the  tall  man  required  of  him. 

"Did  he  tell  you  a  man  fell  over  to-day?"  I 
asked,  thinking  it  possible  the  guide  had  made 
more  than  one  mistake. 

"No;  not  to-day.  Yesterday  he  fell  over;  the 
man  with  the  tall  man  fell  over;  not  this  man/' 
replied  Peder,  pointing  to  Larry. 

I  understood  it  very  well.  Peder  had  met  Mc- 
Fordingham,  on  his  return  with  the  milk,  and  the 
villain  had  tried  to  have  his  story  of  Miles 's  calam 
ity  confirmed,  perhaps  to  save  his  principal  from 
being  implicated  in  the  catastrophe  to  my  friend. 
The  captain  had  not  told  the  guide  that  Larry  had 


300  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OK 

fallen  into  the  abyss ;  and  I  was  satisfied  that  the 
villain  had  departed  from  the  vicinity  in  the  full 
belief  that  he  had  effectually  removed  the  only  ob 
stacle  to  Miles 's  succession  to  the  title  and  estates 
of  Sir  Philip  Grimsby.  I  was  satisfied  that  Miles 
and  his  bravo  would  hasten  away  from  the  Voring- 
fos  with  all  possible  speed.  I  was  not  mistaken, 
for  we  neither  saw  nor  heard  of  them  in  Norway 
again." 

"You  seem  to  know  all  about  it,  Phil,"  said 
Larry,  after  I  had  compelled  Peder  to  tell  all  he 
knew  concerning  the  tall  man. 

"1  do  know  all  about  it." 

"Do  you  happen  to  know  how  I  slipped  over 
that  rock?"  he  asked. 

"I 'do.     Don't  you?" 


"I  haven't  the  slightest  idea." 


"Do  you  mean  so?" 

"Certainly  I  mean  so.  I  joke  sometimes;  but 
I  never  felt  less  like  doing  so  in  my  life  than  I  do 
at  this  moment.  I  felt  a  twitch  at  the  rope,  which 
I  supposed  was  given  by  you.  Then  you  told  me 
not  to  fool  in  such  a  place.  I  replied  that  I  was 
not  fooling,  and  was  on  the  point  of  backing  out, 
when  I  felt  another  pull  at  the  rope;  a  piece  of 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       301 

the  rock  broke  away  under  my  breast,  and  the 
next  instant  I  was  dangling  over  that  big  hole." 

"Did  you  hear  any  footsteps  on  the  rock?"  I 
asked. 

"I  don't  know  that  I  did;  I  don't  remember. 
But  somehow  I  was  conscious  that  there  was  a 
person  behind  me.  I  supposed  it  was  Peder,  and 
didn't  mind  him.  The  rope  fetched  me  up  with 
a  sharp  turn.  Then  it  was  let  out,  and  I  dropped 
down  some  distance." 

"That  was  when  I  got  up,  and  stepped  back  to 
this  tree." 

"Reaching  out  with  my  leg,  I  hooked  on  to  a 
bush,  and  hauled  myself  in.  I  found  there  was  a 
shelf  on  the  rock,  and,  with  the  help  of  the  bush, 
I  got  upon  it.  It  was  not  a  good  place  to  stand, 
Phil,"  said  Larry,  as  a  tremor  shot  through  his 
frame. 

"But  how  came  the  rope  untied?"  I  asked. 

"I  untied  it,"  he  answered,  with  a  languid 
smile. 

"What  for?" 

"Because  I  knew  you  were  made  fast  to  the 
other  end  of  it." 

"That  is  the  very  reason  why  you  ought  not  to 
have  untied  it,"  I  protested,  warmly. 


302  SEA   AND    SHORE,    OR 

"I  am  no  philosopher,  Phil,  and  can't  argue  the 
question.  By  the  amount  of  line  let  out  I  knew 
you  were  near  the  pine  tree;  and  it  occurred  to 
me  that  if  I  made  a  slip  I  should  bring  you  down 
with  me.  There  was  no  need  of  two  of  us  going 
down  into  that  black  hole;  and,  as  my  chance  was 
the  poorer  of  the  two,  I  thought  I  would  cast  off 
the  line,  and  give  you  an  opportunity  to  patronize 
some  first-class  life  insurance  company,  at  a 
proper  time  in  the  future." 

"Unselfish  to  the  last,  Larry!"  I  exclaimed, 
grasping  his  hand,  and  wringing  it  warmly. 

"Steady,  Phil.  Clap  a  stopper  on  the  fore-to'- 
bobbin.  You'll  break  off  my  fluke.  I'm  not  one 
of  those  fellows  who,  when  they  go  down  in  the 
world,  want  to  drag  others  after  them.  My  posi 
tion  was  not  a  very  comfortable  one,  and  was  very 
trying  to  the  nerves.  I  felt  better  after  one  end 
of  that  rope  was  tied  to  my  body,  and  the  other  to 
the  pine  tree.  I  have  told  you  all  I  know  about 
it;  now,  tell  me  what  you  know." 

"The  pull  at  the  rope,  which  you  and  I  both 
felt,  was  evidently  given  by  McFordingham,"  I 
replied.  "I  have  no  doubt  he  has  been  watching 
and  waiting  here  for  us.  I  suppose  he  took  hold 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      303 

of  the  rope,  lifted  you  up,  and  rolled  you  over 
the  brink  of  the  precipice." 

1  <I  don't  see  how  he  could  do  that,  and  I  not 
know  it." 

4 'He  is  a  very  powerful  man.  He  lifted  you  by 
the  rope,  and  for  aught  I  know,  dropped  you  over. 
I  didn't  see  him  till  your  fall  jerked  me  away  from 
the  cliff.  I  got  up  and  grasped  the  tree.  I  saw 
the  villain,  with  his  knife  in  his  hand,  and  I 
showed  him  my  pistol.  He  had  a  wholesome  re 
gard  for  it,  and  retreated." 

"I  heard  your  voice,  but  I  supposed  you  were 
talking  to  Peder,"  interposed  Larry. 

"Then  the  pressure  was  removed  from  the 
rope,  and  I  believed  you  had  fallen  into  the 
chasm.  I  don't  want  to  feel  again  as  I  did  then. 
You  gave  me  a  shock  by  casting  off  the  rope. " 

"Well,  my  boy,  the  shock  was  not  so  great  as  it 
would  have  been  if  you  had  struck  the  bottom  of 
that  hole.  If  you  ever  bet,  you  may  bet  high  on 
that.  I  must  say,  Phil,  that  I  have  lost  all  respect 
for  Captain  Gregory  McFordingham.  I'm  afraid 
his  conscience  has  been  neglected." 

4 'And  he  has  left  these  parts  in  the  belief  that 
you  lie  mangled  and  dead  in  that  abyss,"  I  added. 


304  SEA   AND   SHOEE,  OB 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  disappoint  him  at  the 
proper  time." 

We  drank  the  rest  of  the  milk,  and  lunched  from 
our  provision  baskets ;  but  Larry  was  too  much 
exhausted  by  the  strain  upon  his  nerves  to  walk 
amid  the  wild  scenery  of  the  Voringfos,  and  we 
kept  still  the  rest  of  the  day.  We  slept  at  the 
shanty  that  night,  and  the  next  morning  renewed 
our  rambles.  We  were  careful  not  to  go  very 
near  the  edges  of  any  precipices.  In  the  after 
noon  we  returned  to  Yik.  The  tall  man  had  not 
been  there,  and  we  concluded  that  he  and  Miles 
had  reiiurned  to  Bergen  by  some  other  route. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      305 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   AND  LARRY   GO    THROUGH   SWEDEN 
IN    THE    BLANCHE. 


'TnTTTE  remained  at  Vik  several  days,  fishing 
T  T  and  rambling  among  the  wild  scenery, 
till  we  had  fully  recovered  from  the  shock  of  the 
events  at  the  falls.  We  were  in  the  most  vig 
orous  health  and  spirits,  and  were  well  prepared 
for  the  long  tramp  before  us.  We  had  no  knowl 
edge  of  the  future  intentions  of  Miles  Grismby. 
He  and  his  tall  bravo  had  gone  to  Ulvik  ;  but  we 
could  not  learn  in  what  direction  they  had  gone 
from  this  place. 

"I  suppose  it  makes  no  difference  to  us  where 
they  have  gone,"  said  Larry,  as  we  were  discuss 
ing  the  question. 

4  'No.     Miles    is  satisfied  that  he  has  done  his 
work,  and  believes  that  you  will  not  again  cross 
his  path,"  I  replied. 
20 


306  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OR 

"But  he  will  not  dare  to  show  himself  at 
Grimsby  Hall,  lest  Sir  Philip  should  ask  him 
some  hard  questions.'7 

"If  he  does,  your  grandfather  will  be  able  to 
give  him  better  information  than  he  possesses, 
after  your  letter  has  reached  its  destination." 

"I  only  hope  that  Miles  will  remain  in  blissful 
ignorance  of  the  failure  of  his  villainy  till  we 
finish  our  tramps  on  the  continent." 

'  'Probably  he  will.  His  guilty  conscience  —  if 
he  is  blessed  with  such  a  commodity  as  a  con 
science  —  will  drive  him  into  retirement  for  a 
time,  until  he  can  ascertain  the  result  of  his  crime, 
and  whether  or  not  he  will  be  held  responsible  for 
it.  Undoubtedly  he  will  send  McForclingham  to 
some  remote  part  of  the  world,  where  he  may  not 
rise  up  against  his  employer." 

4  'I  think  we  shall  not  be  troubled  any  more  at 
present." 

As  I  have  said  before,  we  heard  nothing  more 
of  the  conspirators  in  Norway.  Early  on  one 
Monday  morning  we  set  out  from  Yik  on  our  way 
to  the  Ejukanfos.  Day  after  day  we  walked 
through  the  wildest  scenery,  or  sailed  on  the 
inland  lakes  and  rivers,  enjoying  every  moment 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      307 

of  the  time,  for  we  did  not  weary  ourselves  with 
hard  walking,  though  we  had  become  so  tough 
ened  to  the  tramp  that  we  could  easily  accomplish 
thirty  miles  a  day.  But  we  were  a  week  in  reach 
ing  our  destination.  The  Rjukanfos  is  a  waterfall, 
estimated  to  be  about  nine  hundred  feet  high. 
The  whole  region  is  filled  with  cataracts,  with 
wild  mountain  gorges,  and  tremendous  precipices. 
We  saw  what  was  to  be  seen  there,  and  then  con 
tinued  on  our  way  to  Christiania,  where  we 
arrived  in  another  week. 

At  the  hotel  in  this  city  we  found  letters  await 
ing  us,  which  had  been  forwarded  by  the  London 
banker,  according  to  our  direction.  Among  them 
was  one  from  Mr.  Spelter,  dated  at  Frederiksvsern, 
where  he  had  been  at  anchor  for  ten  days.  He- 
informed  us  that  the  Hermia  had  followed  him  out 
of  the  Fjord  from  Bergen,  but  he  had  run  away 
from  her  the  first  day  out,  in  a  fresh  breeze  from 
the  westward,  and  he  had  not  seen  or  heard  any 
thing  of  her  since.  Larry  had  a  letter  from  Sir 
Philip,  and  two  from  Blanche  Fennimore.  I  found 
several  from  my  father  and  mother,  and  one  from 
Ella  Gracewood.  The  latter  contained  a  photo 
graph,  which  represented  a  lady  so  mature  that  I 


308  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

had  some  difficulty  in  believing  that  she  was  the 
identical  little  girl  whom  I  had  met  on  the  Upper 
Missouri,  and  whom  I  had  rescued  from  the 
Indians.  I  opened  this  letter  first;  but  I  only 
read  enough  of  it  to  assure  myself  that  she  was 
well,  before  I  attended  to  those  from  my  father 
and  mother. 

I  wish  I  could  give  to  my  readers  who  have 
not  been  far  away  from  home,  some  idea  of  the 
dread,  the  excitement,  and  the  pleasure  created  by 
the  reception  of  letters  from  the  loved  ones  on  an 
other  continent.  The  wanderer  hardly  dares  to 
open  them,  lest  they  should  contain  intelligence  of 
the  sickness  or  death  of  some  dear  one,  thousands 
of  miles  away,  where  it  is  impossible  to  reach 
him  without  crossing  the  dreary  waste  of  ocean. 
Relieved  of  this  dread,  the  letters  are  then  like 
the  dews  of  evening  to  the  parched  earth.  My 
father's  first  letter  contained  bad  news.  My 
grandfather,  Mr.  Collingsby  of  Chicago,  had  died 
suddenly  of  paralysis.  My  mother's  letters  en 
larged  upon  the  sad  event,  and  I  shed  tears  for 
her  in  her  grief,  which  my  own  relation  to  the  de 
ceased  could  not  have  called  forth.  When  I  had 
read  all  the  letters  of  my  parents,  I  turned  again  to 


THE  TEAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       309 

that  of  Ella.  It  was  rather  more  reserved  than  I 
liked  iri  its  tone ;  but,  though  I  was  tenderly  at 
tached  to  her,  our  relations  at  home  had  been 
merely  friendly;  for  I  had  not  thought  it  quite 
right  to  win  any  promise  from  her  until  she  was 
old  enough  to  know  her  own  mind.  But  the  prin 
cipal  point  of  the  letter  was  the  announcement  that, 
as  her  mother's  health  was  again  failing  her,  the 
family  would  s  dl  for  Europe  in  August,  and  spend 
the  next  winter  in  Italy.  They  intended  to  pass 
the  months  of  September  and  October  in  Switzer 
land  ;  and  I  was  cheered  with  the  hope  that  I 
might  meet  Ella  there  in  our  grand  tramp  to  the 
south.  Larry's  letters  were  all  satisfactory,  and 
Sir  Philip  was  still  in  excellent  health. 

We  made  several  short  trips  to  the  interior  from 
Christiania,  and  then  went  by  steamer  to  Fred- 
eriksvsern,  where  we  were  received  on  board 
the  Blanche  with  cheers  by  the  crew,  for  the  men 
were  tired  of  waiting  in  so  dull  a  place.  They 
were  delighted  to  see  us,  and  their  faces  were  all 
decked  with  smiles. 

"Well,   how  goes  it,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I  asked. 

"It  goes  heavy  here,  with  nothing  to  do,  and  no 
one  to  help  us , "  replied  the  mate .  "I  had  to  scrub 


310  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OK 

the  ballast,  to  keep  the  men  from  getting  up  a 
mutiny." 

"What's  the  matter  with  them?" 

* 'Nothing,  except  they  want  something  to  do. 
I  allowed  them  to  go  on  shore,  and  to  sleep  twelve 
hours  a  day.  The  hardest  work  in  the  world  is  to 
do  nothing.''* 

"That's  true;  and  we  will  not  persecute  them 
any  longer.  Get  under  way  at  once." 

"All  hands,  up  anchor!"  shouted  the  mate. 
"Clear  away  the  mainsail!" 

The  sailors  sprang  to  their  stations  with  a  will, 
and  looked  as  cheerful  as  though  every  one  of 
them  bad  just  inherited  a  fortune.  In  a  few 
moments  the  Blanche  was  standing  out  of  the 
harbor  under  all  sail,  for  we  did  not  even  wait  for 
a  pilot.  Larry  and  I  went  below  as  soon  as  the 
yacht  was  clear  of  the  harbor. 

"We  don't  find  anything  equal  to  this  anywhere, 
do  we,  Phil?"  said  my  friend,  as  he  threw  him 
self  on  the  divan. 

"Certainly  not.  But  if  we  had  not  been  on 
shore  for  three  weeks,  sleeping  in  the  homely 
post-houses,  and  feeding  on  the  simplest  fare,  we 
should  not  IIOAV  enjoy  it  half  so  much.  Our  tramps 
make  the  yacht  pleasanter." 


THE    TKAMPS    OF   A    TRAVELLER . 

"You  are  a  philosopher,  Phil,  and  I  dare  say 
you  are  right.  I  am  sure  this  cabin  never  looked 
so  much  like  a  palace  to  me  as  it  does  at  this  mo 
ment.  I  am  afraid  I  shall  not  wish  to  leave  these 
quarters  again  in  a  hurry. " 

"Well,  there  is  no  law  to  compel  you  to  do  so." 

4 'But  I  wish   to  see  the   interior    of   Sweden." 

"Very  «"ood;  you  may  even  do  that  without 
leaving  the  yacht.  You  can  go  through  the  Gota 
Canal  to  Stockholm." 

"That's  an  idea,  Phil." 

"You  may  then  sail  all  over  the  great  lakes 
of  Sweden/'  I  added,  taking  our  large  atlas,  and 
opening  at  the  map  of  Norway  and  Sweden. 
"Here  is  Wenern  Lake,  one  hundred  miles  long 
by  fifty  wide." 

"I  like  that,  Phil.  The  idea  of  sailing  in  the 
Blanche  on  a  fresh-water  lake  is  rather  pleasant, 
and  altogether  novel." 

"But  you  may  go  through  three  or  four  other 
lakes  —  Wettern,  Roxen,  Mallar,  and  some  smaller 
ones." 

"Let  us  do  it.  But,  Phil,  how  are  we  to  beat 
against  the  wind  in  a  canal?  I  don't  believe  the 
foreto '-bobbin  will  do  that  for  you." 


312  SEA  AND   SHORE,    OR 

"We  must  have  a  small  steamer  to  tow  us.  It 
will  cost  money  ;  and  the  canal  dues  will  be  an 
item,  also." 

4  'Eight.  I  am  struggling  with  all  my  might  to 
spend  my  income ;  and  this  trip  will  help  me  out 
considerably." 

I  was  quite  as  well  pleased  with  the  idea  as 
Larry  was:  and  we  sat  down  to  dinner,  still  dis 
cussing  the  plan.  I  could  not  help  contrasting  our 
elegant  dinner  with  the  coarse  meals  of  which  we 
had  partaken  at  the  post-houses,  for  the  steward 
seemed  to  have  taken  particular  pains  011  the 
present  occasion,  perhaps  because  he  had  been 
idle  so  long.  Life  in  the  cabin  of  the  Blanche  was 
so  very  delightful  that  neither  of  us  cared  to  leave 
it  again  at  present. 

With  the  fresh  breeze  we  reached  Gottenburg 
the  next  morning,  and  on  the  following  day  all  our 
arrangements  were  completed  for  the  trip.  We 
engaged  an  interpreter  to  do  our  talking  for  us, 
though  we  had  a  Swedish  sailor  forward.  We 

o 

chartered  a  little  steamer  to  tow  us  through,  and 
early  in  the  morning  we  sailed  for  our  inland  trip. 
The  first  part  of  it  was  through  the  Gota  River, 
though  we  occasionally  passed  through  a  canal  to 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER .      313 

avoid  n  rapid.  In  the  afternoon  we  walked  around 
the  Falls  of  Trollhatten,  enjoying  the  delightful 
scenery,  while  the  Blanche  was  going  through  the 
long  series  of  locks.  Indeed,  we  had  walked  half 
the  distance  during  the  day,  and  Larry  insisted 
that  we  were  working  our  passage.  In  the  even 
ing  we  reached  the  great  lake,  and  moored  to  the 
shore  for  the  night. 

At  daylight  in  the  morning,  with  a  pilot  on 
board,  we  sailed  again,  the  steamer  towing  us  out 
into  the  lake.  As  the  sun  rose,  a  smart  breeze 
from  the  westward  sprang  up,  and  I  told  Mr. 
Spelter  to  hoist  the  mainsail  and  set  the  jib.  As 
soon  as  this  was  done,  the  tow-line  slackened  up, 
mid  we  were  in  great  danger  of  running  over  the 
steamer. 

"Cast  off  the  tow-line,"  said  I  to  the  mate, 
"then  set  the  foresail." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  laughed  Spelter. 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  the  tow-boat  sheered 
off.  The  foresail  was  hoisted,  and  the  Blanche 
lay  down  to  her  work  in  earnest.  It  was  soon  evi 
dent  that  we  were  running  away  from  our  escort. 
We  were  bound  to  Carlstad,  at  the  northern  ex 
tremity  of  the  lake.  The  skipper  commenced 


314  SEA   AND   SHORE,  OR 

a  famous  yelling  when  we  began  to  get  away 
from  him. 

"What  is  the  matter  with  him?"  I  asked  of  the 
interpreter. 

4 'He  wants  the  money  for  towing  you  up  from 
Gottenburg." 

"Does  he  think  we  are  going  to  run  away  from 
him  ?'  '  laughed  Larry.  '  'Heave  to  on  your  f oreto'- 
bobbin,  Phil,  and  tell  him  I  will  pay  him  for  his 
time  till  we  get  to  Stockholm." 

We  came  up  into  the  wind,  and  allowed  the 
steamer  to  approach.  The  interpreter  explained 
our  plan  to  the  captain;  but  he  was  not  satisfied. 
He  insisted  upon  his  money  for  what  he  had  done, 
and  I  paid  him.  He  promised  to  be  at  the  en 
trance  of  the  canal  on  the  east  shore  of  the  lake, 
the  next  day,  to  tow  us  through.  We  filled  away 
again,  and  the  wind  increased  in  force  till  we  had 
all  we  could  stand  without  shortening  sail.  It  was 
not  a  gale ;  but  the  surface  of  the  lake  was  cov 
ered  with  white  caps,  and  had  quite  a  stormy 
appearance.  As  we  went  out  farther  from  the 
shore,  we  found  an  ugly  chop  sea,  which  kept  the 
yacht  bobbing  and  bowing  like  a  French  dancing- 
master.  At  breakfast  time  the  dishes  would  not 
stay  on  the  table. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      315 

"How's  this,  Phil?"  said  Larry,  as  the  contents 
of  his  coffee-cup  were  jerked  into  his  lap. 

"Rather  rough." 

"Rough  on  my  trousers,  and  rather  warm,  too," 
laughed  he.  "Why,  it's  worse  than  a  gale  on  the 
ocean . ' ' 

"It  is  one  of  these  fresh-water  seas  —  just  what 
we  used  to  have  on  Lake  Michigan;  but  this  yacht 
is  so  much  bigger  than  the  Ella,  in  which  I  used 
to  sail,  that  it  is  smooth  here  compared  with  what 
I  have  seen." 

"I  don't  like   it,"  protested  Larry. 

"You  will  soon  get  used  to  it.  Take  another 
cup  of  coffee,  and  drink  it  while  you  may." 

"No  more,  thank  you." 

"What's  the  matter,  Larry?" 

"I  don't  know;    but  I  don't   feel  just  right." 

I  saw  that  he  was  very  pale.  I  may  as  well 
•hasten  to  the  sad  conclusion.  My  friend  was  sea 
sick.  He  went  on  deck,  but  was  soon  obliged  to 
take  to  his  berth.  There  he  lay  till  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  when  we  made  Carlstad,  having 
logged  twelve  knots  all  day.  As  soon  as  the 
motion  ceased,  Larry  immediately  recovered,  and 
ate  a  hearty  dinner  with  me  in  the  cabin.  Not  less 


316  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OR 

than  four  of  our  seamen  were  sick  also,  the  motion 
of  the  vessel  on  the  lake  was  so  different  from 
that  on  the  ocean. 

"I  have  had  enough  of  this  thing,"  said  Larry. 

1  'You  won't  be  sick  again.  Don't  give  it  up 
so." 

"I  am  ashamed  of  myself,  Phil.  I  have  crossed 
the  Atlantic  three  times  without  being  seasick; 
and  here  I  am  knocked  over  on  a  little  fresh-water 
pond!  It  is  mortifying;  and  I  am  disgusted  with 
myself. ' ' 

"It  is  not  your  fault." 

"But  I  lose  confidence  in  my  stomach.  I 
thought  it  was  lined  with  zinc,  and  would  stand 
anything.  Now  it  has  gone  back  on  me." 

"Four  of  our  old  salts  were  seasick,  too  —  had 
to  go  below  and  turn  in  ;  men  who  have  been  to 
sea  all  their  lives." 

"Is  that  so?" 

"It's  a  fact." 

"Then  I  am  comforted;  for  I  am  only  human, 
like  them.  I  like  that  paddling  through  the  canal. 
It  is  the  most  delicious  sort  of  idleness  I  ever 
experienced.  You  keep  moving,  and  can  see  the 
people  and  the  country  as  you  go  along.  It  isn't 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       317 

like  being  snaked  through  a  country  in  a  railroad 
train  so  fast  that  the  telegraph  poles  look  like  a 
fine-tooth  conib." 

*  'If  we  have  a  breeze  to-morrow,  we  shall  be  in 
the  canal  again  to-morrow  afternoon." 

"You  marine  gentlemen  always  whistle  for  a 
breeze;  and  sometimes  you  overdo  it.  Don't 
whistle  any  more,  Phil;  and  I  shall  be  content  to 
wait  till  day  after  to-morrow  for  more  of  the 
canal  glories." 

"I  won't  whistle,  Larry." 

We  went  ashore  and  strolled  through  the  town. 
At  night  the  lake  was  calm,  and  the  next  day  we 
had  only  a  gentle  breeze.  The  balloon-jib  was  in 
order  then,  and  we  had  a  delightful  passage  to  the 
canal.  The  pilot  was  astonished  at  the  sailing 
qualities  of  the  Blanche.  We  passed  near  a  mul 
titude  of  islands,  full  of  natural  beauty,  and  at 
noon  were  in  the  canal,  where  the  little  steamer 
was  waiting  for  us.  We  went  on  till  dark,  and 
then  lay  up  for  the  night,  for  we  were  unwilling 
to  lose  the  view  of  the  pleasant  scenery.  In  this 
manner  we  passed  through  the  canal,  emerging 
first  into  a  broad  bay,  bordered  by  lovely  shores, 
and  then  into  Lake  Wettern,  where  we  again 


318  SEA   AND    SHORE,   OR 

cast  off  the  tow-line,  and  for  a  joke  towed  the 
steamer  some  twenty  miles  to  Motala,  where  we 
spent  another  night.  Passing  through  another 
bay,  another  lake,  and  a  considerable  length  of 
canal,  we  entered  the  Baltic.  Coasting  among 
the  islands  for  a  few  hours,  we  again  passed 
through  a  canal  to  the  Malar  Lake,  and  in  the 
evening  reached  Stockholm.  The  trip  through 
the  canal  was  delightful  in  every  respect. 

We  went  to  the  Hotel  Rydberg,  to  see  who  was 
there  from  our  country.  Larry  found  an  English 
gentleman  whom  he  had  met  at  Grimsby  Hall. 
While  they  were  discussing  a  question  which  was 
interesting  to  them,  but  not  to  me,  I  walked  out 
into  the  street  to  see  the  passers-by.  The  first 
person  that  attracted  my  attention  was  a  gentle 
man  six  feet  and  a  half  high,  with  red  hair.  He 
was  elegantly  dressed  in  black ;  but  I  promptly 
recognized  in  him  our  old  acquaintance,  Captain 
McFordingham. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      319 


CHAPTER   XXm. 

IN   WHICH   PHIL   AND   LARRY   MEET    MCFORDINGHAM 
ON   TWO   SPECIAL   OCCASIONS. 

I  WAS  not  very  much  astonished  to  see  Mc- 
Fordingham  in  Sweden,  for  we  had  last  met 
him  in  Norway.  A  wonderful  change  had  taken 
place  in  his  appearance,  for  he  had  entirely  dis 
carded  all  his  peculiarities  of  dress.  He  looked 
like  a  gentleman,  and  I  am  obliged  to  acknowledge 
that  his  air  was  rather  "distinguished."  The  cap 
tain  sauntered  into  the  cafe  connected  with  the 
hotel.  I  had  no  difficulty  in  coming  to  the  conclu 
sion  that  Miles  Grimsby  had  paid  him  liberally  for 
the  foul  service  rendered.  Through  an  open 
window  I  saw  the  captain  seat  himself  with  his 
back  to  the  door.  I  entered,  and  took  a  place  in  a 
corner  behind  him,  where  I  could  look  out  into  the 
street. 

As  the  satellite  was  here,  I  supposed  that  Miles 


320  SEA  AND   SHORE 9    OR 

could  not  be  far  off,  and  it  was  probable  that  the 
Hermia  was  also  in  port.  I  sat  for  half  an  hour 
watching  the  movements  of  the  tall  villain.  He 
sipped  his  brandy  in  silence ;  but  Miles  did  not 
join  him.  I  went  to  the  porter's  office,  and 
examined  the  list  of  guests  in  the  house;  but 
I  found  neither  the  name  of  the  master  nor  the 
man.  On  my  return  to  the  caf£,  McFordingham 
was  conversing  with  an  English  gentleman  who 
was  seated  opposite  to  him.  I  placed  myself  near 
enough  to  hear  them;  but  as  they  were  talking  in 
quite  a  loud  tone,  this  was  no  breach  of  propriety. 
I  noticed  that  the  stranger  called  the  captain 
Major  Lord.  I  had  seen  this  name  on  the  porter's 
book.  The  convict  had  found  it  best  to  change 
his  name.  Something  was  said  about  the  ladies, 
and  a  ride  to  the  Deer  Garden,  which  is  the  prin 
cipal  park  of  the  city.  Presently  the  two  gentle 
men  rose,  and  I  put  my  face  behind  a  newspaper, 
to  avoid  being  recognized. 

In  a  few  moments  more  a  carriage  was  drawn 
up  in  front  of  the  hotel.  The  English  gentleman 
and  two  ladies  appeared,  attended  by  McFording 
ham,  who  very  politely  handed  them  to  their  seats. 
The  ladies  were  both  elegant  in  their  manners,  and 
one  of  them  was  quite  pretty. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       321 

"Who  are  they?"  I  asked,  when  the  porter 
returned  to  the  hall. 

"One  of  the  gentlemen  is  Sir  Walbridge  Blount, 
and  the  other  Major  Lord.  One  of  the  ladies  is 
Sir  Walbridge 's  wife,  and  I  really  don't  know  who 
the  other  is,"  answered  the  porter.  "They  are 
going  out  to  the  Deer  Garden,  and  will  dine  at 
Hasselbacken." 

"What's  up,  Phil?"  asked  Larry,  coming  down 
from  the  room  of  his  friend  at  this  moment. 

"Our  excellent  friend,  Captain  McFordingham, 
is  here,"  I  replied. 

"And  Miles?"    he  asked,  with  a  start. 

' 'I  haven't  seen  him. ' '  And  1  stated  the  circum 
stances  under  which  I  had  observed  the  convict. 
"We  will  dine  at  Hasselbacken,  Larry,  if  you 
please." 

"Certainly,  Phil,  if   such   is   your   pleasure." 

*  fcl  will  not  allow  this  villain  to  impose  himself 
upon  respectable  people,"  I  protested.  "Doubtless 
he  thrust  himself  upon  them,  as  he  did  upon  us, 
on  the  train  or  the  steamer.  He  is  a  plausible 
fellow,  and  I  suppose  Sir  Walbridge  has  not  an 
army  list  with  him." 

We  drove   to  the    Deer  Garden,   and  in   the 
21 


322  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

course  of  the  afternoon,  after  we  had  examined 
the  beauties  of  the  place,  we  found  Sir  Wai- 
bridge's  party  in  a  pavilion,  waiting  for  dinner. 
We  took  places  near  them,  but  behind  the  captain. 
He  was  very  attentive  to  the  fairer  of  the  two  la 
dies,  who  sat  opposite  him.  After  the  soup,  he 
rose  to  pick  up  her  handkerchief,  which  she  had 
dropped.  As  he  was  returning  to  his  place,  he 
happened  to  glance  at  me.  He  started  and  turned 
pale,  but  he  did  not  see  Larry,  whose  back  was 
to  him. 

"Ah,  Captain  McFordingham ! "  I  exclaimed, 
loud  enough  for  all  the  party  to  hear  me. 

As  I  spoke,  I  rose  and  advanced  towards  him. 
He  was  very  pale,  but  he  did  not  lose  his  self- 
possession,  or,  rather,  his  impudence. 

"This  is  very  unexpected,  Captain  McFording 
ham,"  I  added,  laying  particular  stress  on  the 
name. 

"Major  Lord,  if  you  please,"  said  he,  coolly, 
adjusting  an  eye-glass  over  his  left  eye,  and  gaz 
ing  at  me  with  a  sort  of  pitying  and  contemptuous 
expression.  "I  believe  I  have  not  the  pleasure 
of  your  acquaintance.  May  I  beg  the  favor  of 
your  name?" 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      323 

« 

"You  knew  my  name  well  enough  when  you 
were  a  convict  at  the  Bermudas,"  I  replied,  so 
distinctly  that  all  the  party  could  understand  me. 

"I  have  not  the  least  recollection  of  ever  hav 
ing  seen  you  before,"  he  added,  adjusting  his 
glass  again.  "You  have  mistaken  the  person; 
and  any  such*  indecent  allusion  as  you  made  to  me 
just  now  will  subject  you  to  personal  chastise 
ment." 

"Nevertheless,  you  are  what  I  say  you  are  —  a 
convict,  transported  for  embezzling  your  master's 
pro-pert/. ' ' 

"The  presence  of  these  ladies  insures  your  per 
sonal  safety  for  the  present;  but  we  shall  meet 
again,  if  you  don't  run  away,"  said  he. 

"Or  you  don't,"  I  added. 

He  seated  himself  again,  and  resumed  his  polite 
attentions  to  the  lady  in  front  of  him,  who  seemed 
to  be  very  much  embarrassed  by  the  scene  which 
had  just  transpired. 

"Ah,  Mr.  Grimsby,  I  am  glad  to  meet  you 
again,"  said  a  young  gentleman,  stepping  up  to 
our  table  at  this  moment.  "You  said  you  would 
not  come  to  Hasselbacken  with  me." 

1  <I  didn't  know  that  I  would  then.     I  told  you  I 


324  SEA    AND    SHOEE,   OR 

must  join  my  friend,  Captain  Farringford,  whom 
permit  me  to  introduce." 

It  was  Mr.  Whistleton,  whose  acquaintance  Lar 
ry  had  made  at  Grimsby  Hall.  I  shook  hands  with 
him,  and  he  joined  us  at  dinner. 

"Ah,  Whistleton,  are  you  here?"  said  Sir 
Walhridge. 

"I  am  here.  This  is  Mr.  Lawrence  Grimsby,  of 
Grimsby  Hall,  and  this  is  Captain  Farringford," 
replied  our  new  friend.  "And  this  is  Major  Lord, 
formerly  of  the  India  service." 

Larry  rose  and  bowed  as  his  name  was  men 
tioned.  Major  Lord  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  shook 
like  an  aspen,  as  he  gazed  at  the  form  and  features 
of  his  late  victim. 

"You  have  seen  him  before,  if  you  haven't  seen 
me,  "  I  suggested. 

"Excuse  me,  ladies;  I  thought  it  was  Mr.  Miles 
Grimsby,  who  assured  me  a  week  ago  that  he  was 
on  his  way  to  Italy,  and  I  was  utterly  astounded 
to  meet  him  here." 

"This  is  a  very  pretty  farce,  Captain  McFord- 
ingham,"  added  Larry. 

"You  insist  that  I  shall  be  Captain  McFording- 
ham,  in  spite  of  my  protest,  and  I  may  as  well  sub 
mit,"  said  the  tall  villain,  with  a  sickly  smile. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       325 

"I  shall  insist,"  replied  Larry.  "If  you  don't 
believe  that  you  are  Captain  McFordingham,  I 
have  the  means  at  hand  of  proving  it  to  your  en 
tire  satisfaction,  and  that  of  your  friends." 

*  'Clearly  a  mistake, ' '  added  the  captain.  '  'Per 
haps  I  may  accept  your  apology,  when  you  are 
ready  to  offer  it." 

He  seated  himself  again,  and  Sir  Walbridge's 
party  seemed  to  be  too  much  confounded  to  say 
anything  more ;  but  I  observed  a  marked  coldness 
on  the  part  of  the  ladies  towards  him.  Mr.  Whis- 
tleton  informed  us  that  the  lady  upon  whom  the 
captain  lavished  his  attentions  was  Sir  Walbridge's 
wife's  sister,  and  that  she  had  a  fortune  in  her  own 
right.  In  the  evening  we  returned  to  the  city. 

Of  course  Sir  Walbridge  and  the  ladies  were 
very  much  disturbed  by  the  events  of  the  after 
noon,  and  were  anxious  to  obtain  an  explanation. 
But  McFordingham  was  always  in  the  way.  I  in 
vited  Mr.  Whistleton  to  visit  the  yacht,  which  was 
now  moored  at  the  quay  near  the  palace.  We 
slept  on  board,  as  usual. 

Early  the  next  morning  Mr.  Whistleton,  attend 
ed  by  Sir  Walbridge,  came  on  board,  and  we  gave 
them  a  full  history  of  McFordiugham.  They  had 


326  SEA    AND    SHORE,   OR 

made  his  acquaintance  in  Copenhagen,  and  he  had 
accompanied  them  through  the  Gota  Canal.  I  as 
sured  them  that  every  one  of  my  crew  could  iden 
tify  him,  and  referred  them  also  to  Lady  Eleanor 
and  Mr.  Langford  in  England.  They  were  satis 
fied,  and  we  went  up  to  the  hotel  with  them. 
McFordingham  was  in  the  coffee-room,  apparently 
waiting  for  them. 

"I  am  satisfied  now  that  you  are  an  impostor 
and  a  villain,"  Sir  Walbridge  began,  warmly.  "If 
you  presume  to  speak  again  to  either  of  the  ladies 
whose  acquaintance  you  made  under  a  fictitious 
name,  I  will  horse  whip  you  at  the  first  convenient 
opportunity." 

"Sir  Walbridge,  I  am  the  victim  of  false  repre 
sentations,"  protested  McFordingham. 

"I  don't  wish  to  hear  another  lie  from  your  lips. 
I  have  investigated  the  subject  for  myself.  I  have 
nothing  more  to  say." 

Sir  Walbridge  and  Mr.  Whistleton  left  the  cafe. 

"I  am  indebted  to  you  for  this,"  said  the  vil 
lain,  walking  sharply  up  to  me. 

"You  are,"  I  replied.  "I  deemed  it  my  duty 
to  expose  an  impostor." 

"We  need  not  quarrel,"  he  added,  biting  his 
lips. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      327 

"No;  but  we  must  agree  to  disagree." 

"I  bear  no  malice.  Miles  Grimsby  has  gone  to 
Italy.  We  have  separated." 

"It  was  time  you  did  so.  1  suppose  you  have 
been  well  paid  for  your  services." 

"My  fortune  is  made;  and  I  shall  be  as  glad 
to  serve  you  as  I  was  to  serve  Miles." 

"We  do  not  need  your  aid.'" 

"Well,  then,  if  you  will  tell  me  which  way  you 
are  going,  I  will  go  the  other  way.  I  can  injure 
you,  but  I  have  no  desire  to  do  so.  We  will  be 
quits,  if  you  say  so." 

"We  shall  be  quits,  any  way,  until  you  attempt 
to  impose  upon  respectable  people.  Then  I  will 
go  a  thousand  miles  to  expose  you,"  I  added. 

"As  you  please.  I  am  rather  surprised  to  see 
Mr.  Grimsby  here,"  said  he,  coolly,  as  he  glanced 
at  my  friend.  "Certainly  he  fell  over  that  prec 
ipice." 

"Certainly  I  did,  Captain  McFordingham, "  in 
terposed  Larry;  "but  being  used  to  hard  knocks, 
my  fall  did  not  seriously  injure  me,  as  you  per 
ceive." 

"You  seem  to  be  sound." 

"Quite  so;  no  thanks  to  you." 


328  SEA   AND   SHOEE,    OR 

"But  I  did  the  best  I  could  to  save  you;  and 
.failing  of  you,  to  save  your  friend.  But  I  suppose 
my  efforts  startled  you,  and  caused  you  to  fall." 

"Very  likely.  I  suppose  Miles  went  over  in 
the  same  way.  I  think  you  said  he  had  gone  to 
Italy." 

"That  was  an  amiable  fiction,  merely  intended 
to  distract  the  attention  of  Captain  Farringford, 
who  was  disposed  to  discharge  his  pistol  at  me. 
Miles  has  gone  to  Italy,  and  believes  that  his 
cousin  is  dead.  He  is  satisfied,  and  so  am  I; 
though  it  appears  that  you  were  not  injured  by 
your  fall.  1  am  glad  you  were  not.  I  should 
have  been  unhappy  all  my  days  in  the  thought 
that  you  had  lost  your  life  through  my  injudicious 
attempt  to  save  you.  It  is  well  as  it  is.  Let  us 
part  in  peace.  Good  morning,  gentlemen." 

He  turned  on  his  heel,  and  abruptly  left  us, 
bowing  himself  out  with  his  usual  politeness. 

We  saw  the  sights  of  Stockholm  and  its  vicinity 
with  Sir  Walbridge's  party,  and  then  invited  them 
to  go  to  St.  Petersburg  with  us  in  the  Blanche. 
They  accepted  the  invitation.  We  went  to  Mos 
cow  and  Nijni,  and  then  returned  to  the  capital. 
With  our  friends  still  on  board,  we  cruised  in  the 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      329 

Baltic  to  Copenhagen,  where  our  guests  left  us. 
We  went  round, to  Hamburg,  and  directed  Mr. 
Spelter  to  sail  the  Blanche  to  Genoa.  Larry  and 
I  started  upon  another  tramp  across  the  country. 
But  we  intended  to  walk  only  through  the  most 
interesting  regions ;  and  we  went  by  railway  to 
Cologne.  From  this  point  we  tramped  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine  to  Baden-Baden.  We  trav 
elled  slowly,  and  enjoyed  ourselves  all  the  time. 

At  Baden-Baden  we  found  McFordingham  again, 
staking  large  sums  at  the  gambling  tables,  with 
what  success  we  had  no  means  of  knowing.  He 
appeared  to  be  on  excellent  terms  with  some  of 
the  "first  families,"  and  to  be  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  smiles  of  the  ladies.  We  asked  his  name,  and 
ascertained  that  he  was  now  "Major  McPherson, 
formerly  of  the  India  service."  I  wondered  that 
he  was  not  a  colonel  by  this  time,  since  his  promo 
tions  were  in  his  own  hands.  But  he  seemed  to 
cling  to  the  rank  of  major.  Larry  and  I  walked 
up  to  the  table  where  he  was  an  interested  actor 
in  the  game  of  rouge-et-noir. 

"What  luck  do  you  have,  Captain  McFord 
ingham?"  said  Larry,  in  a  tone  loud  enough  to 
startle  all  near  the  table,  where  silence  is  the  pre 
vailing  rule. 


330  SEA    AND    SHORE,   OR 

The  tall  man  suddenly  turned  upon  my  friend 
as  though  he  had  been  electrified  by  a  bolt  from 
the  clouds.  His  wrath  overcame  his  coolness  and 
his  politeness  this  time,  and  he  sprang  at  Larry's 
throat  with  the  fierceness  of  a  bloodhound.  This 
conduct  was  so  utterly  different  from  anything  he 
had  exhibited  before  that  I  was  startled  by  it ;  but 
I  promptly  rushed  to  the  assistance  of  my  com 
panion.  With  the  help  of  others,  I  dragged  the 
villain  off,  and  a  policeman  interfered  after  the 
scuffle  was  over. 

"You  are  violent,  Captain  McFordingham, '' 
said  Larry,  restoring  his  deranged  dress. 

"There  is  some  mistake,"  interposed  an  Eng 
lish  gentleman.  "This  is  Major  McPherson." 

"Not  at  all.  He  is  not  even  a  captain  in  any 
service,  but  was  the  footman  of  Lord  Bergamot, 
and  was  sentenced  to  ten  years'  transportation  for 
embezzling  his  master's  property." 

"Lord    Bergamot 's  footman!"   exclaimed    the 

o 

Englishman.      '  'Impossible ! ' ' 

"Quite  impossible,"  added  McFordingham,  who 
had  by  this  time  recovered  his  temper  and  his  self- 
possession.  '  'This  American  person,  with  whom  I 
had  some  difficulty  in  Stockholm,  takes  the  most 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       331 

dishonorable  method  of  annoying  me.  I  regret 
that  I  allowed  my  temper  to  get  the  better  of  me; 
but  I  purpose  to  chastise  this  individual  at  a  prop 
er  time." 

4 'You  have  attempted  to  chastise  him  several 
times  before,"  said  Larry. 

"Did  I  hear  my  name  mentioned  here?"  said  a 
gentleman  of  thirty  years  of  age  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  crowd,  who  had  evidently  just  entered  the 
room. 

"That  depends  upon  what  your  name  is,  sir,"  I 
suggested. 

"lam  Lord  Bergamot,  and  I  thought  I  heard 
my  name  as  I  came  in." 

"You  did,  sir.  Do  you  happen  to  know  that 
tall  gentleman?"  I  asked,  pointing  to  the  captain, 
whom  he  had  not  yet  seen. 

' '  'Pon  my  word ! "  exclaimed  his  lordship,  push 
ing  his  way  into  the  centre  of  the  group.  "Why, 
Greg,  are  you  here  ?  and  dressed  like  a  gentleman, 
too?" 

"Lord  Bergamot!  "  ejaculated  the  English  gen 
tleman  who  had  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the 
scene;  "some  one  here  says  Major  McPherson 
was  your  footman." 


332  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OR 

"Fray,  who  is  Major  McPherson?"  asked  his 
lordship,  as  the  convict  tried  to  slink  away. 

"Why,  the  tall  gentleman." 

*  'That  was  my  man  Greg,  surely.  I  have  really 
forgotten  his  other  name." 

"McFordingham,"  I  added. 

"That's  it.  He  is  no  major;  and,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  he  was  sent  to  the  Bermudas  for  ten  years  for 
stealing  my  plate  and  other  valuables.  Isn't 
that  so,  Greg?" 

But  Greg  had  crept  out  of  the  room,  and  Larry 
and  I  had  a  chance  to  tell  our  story.  The  rascal 
left  the  place  at  once,  and  that  was-  the  last  we 
ever  saw  of  him,  though  we  heard  of  him  again, 
when,  after  he  had  spent  all  his  ill-gotten  wealth, 
he  was  transported  to  Botany  Bay  for  picking  a 
gentleman's  pocket. 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      333 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL  AND   LARRY  FINISH  THEIR  TRAMPS, 
AND    SETTLE    DOWN   FOR   LIFE. 

LEAVING  Baden-Baden,  we  walked  through 
the  Black  Forest  to  Schaffhausen ;  and,  after 
a  day  at  the  Falls  of  the  Rhine,  we  continued  the 
tramp  to  Zurich,  where,  to  my  great  joy,  I  found 
the  Grace  woods.  My  old  instructor  gave  me  a 
cordial  greeting,  and  said  I  had  grown  so  much, 
and  looked  so  brown  and  tough,  he  should  hardly 
have  known  me.  Ella  received  me  with  a  blush, 
and  with  a  degree  of  emotion  which  assured  me 
that  I  had  not  been  long  out  of  her  mind  at  any 
time,  as  she  had  not  been  out  of  mine.  It  took  a 
whole  day  to  discuss  the  past,  and  we  reviewed 
all  the  events  which  had  occurred  in  the  wilds  of 
the  Upper  Missouri. 

In  memory  of  old  times  we  took  a  boat,  and  I 
rowed  her  far  out  upon  the  lake.     She  had  grown 


334  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

tall  and  graceful  in  form,  and  had  really  become  a 
woman.  As  I  sat  in  the  boat  facing  her,  gently 
plying  the  oars,  we  spoke  of  the  days  when  I  had 
so  often  rowed  her  upon  the  Missouri.  From  this 
I  wras  led  to  tell  her  how  much  I  thought  of  her 
then;  and,  of  course,  I  could  not  help  adding  that 
my  views  had  not  changed,  and,  more  than  this, 
they  never  would  change.  Indeed,  I  believe  I 
said  a  great  many  things  that  would  seem  very 
silly  to  anybody  else,  and  therefore  I  shall  not 
repeat  them.  "I  had  carried  her  image  in  my 
heart  in  all  my  wanderings,"  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing.  Had  she  ever  thought  of  me  ?  And  she 
answered  me  in  monosyllables,  at  first,  till  finally 
we  came  to  an  excellent  understanding  in  regard 
to  the  matter  which  was  nearest  to  the  hearts  of 
both  of  us. 

Somehow  I  felt  very  ethereal  when  I  landed, 
and  walked  by  Ella's  side  to  the  hotel.  Every 
thing  looked  airy  to  me,  and  I  felt  perfectly  satis 
fied  with  myself  and  everybody  else,  especially 
the  fair  girl  at  my  side.  I  don't  know  whether 
we  made  any  promises  or  not.  It  did  not  seem  to 
me  that  any  were  necessary,  for  when  she  pressed 
my  hand  in  response  to  the  pressure  of  my  own, 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       335 

it  was  to  me  the  significant  telegraphy  of  hearts 
that  required  no  formal  interpretation  in  cold 
words.  That  evening  I  spoke  to  her  father  on 
the  subject,  who  only  laughed,  and  said  he  and 
Mrs.  Grace  wood  had  long  regarded  it  as  a  fore 
gone  conclusion. 

We  staid  a  week  at  Zurich,  which,  somehow,  I 
have  ever  since  regarded  as  the  pleasantest  place 
in  all  Switzerland,  and  that  lake  like  the  streams 
of  Paradise ;  but  doubtless  the  opinion  was  the 
result  of  association,  and  I  am  not  disposed  to 
quarrel  with  those  who  think  Lucerne  is  a  more 
agreeable  residence. 

Larry  was  in  a  hurry  to  resume  our  trail ps,  and 
to  join  the  yacht  at  Genoa;  but  he  bore  with  me 
patiently  for  several  days,  under  the  circum 
stances.  The  doctors  had  advised  Mrs.  Gracewood 
to  try  the  climate  of  Sicily  in  November,  and  I  ex 
pected  the  Blanche  would  put  into  Messina  on  her 
return  from  the  upper  Mediterranean,  so  that  I 
was  comforted  with  the  hope  of  meeting  Ella 
again  in  two  months. 

Larry  and  I  walked  to  Lucerne,  and,  passing 
through  the  lake  by  steamer,  set  out  upon  our 
tramp  over  the  Pass  of  St.  Gothard.  We  spent  a 


336  SEA  AND   SHORE,   OR 

week  on  the  road,  and  another  on  the  Italian  lakes, 
so  that  it  was  the  middle  of  September  when  we 
reached  Genoa.  The  Blanche  had  been  in  port  a 
fortnight,  and  Mr.  Spelter,  to  keep  the  men  con 
tented,  had  thoroughly  overhauled  the  vessel,  and 
given  her  a  fresh  coat  of  paint,  so  that  she  pre 
sented  a  very  neat  appearance  when  we  went  on 
board.  We  spent  a  couple  of  days  in  Genoa,  and 
then  sailed  for  Naples. 

"What  yacht  is  that,  Mr.  Spelter?"  I  asked,  as 
the  Blanche  approached  the  Mole. 

"If  I'm  not  mistaken,  it  is  the  Hermia,"  replied 
the  mate. 

"McFordingham  said  Miles  had  gone  to  Italy; 
but  I  did  not  suppose  he  spoke  the  truth,"  I 
added. 

We  anchored  near  her,  and  we  had  hardly  se 
cured  our  sails  before  a  boat  put  off  from  her  and 
came  alongside  the  Blanche.  Osborne  was  in  the 
stern-sheets.  I  did  not  suppose  that  he  knew  any 
thing  about  the  events  which  had  transpired  in 
Norway,  for  Miles  had  probably  been  careful  to 
keep  his  terrible  secret  in  his  own  bosom ;  but  I 
concluded  that  he  had  sent  his  sailing-master  to 
see  me,  and  hear  what  I  had  to  say.  Osborne 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       337 

asked  me  where  we  had  been  cruising,  and  similar 
questions.  He  did  not  seem  to  be  at  all  astonished 
at  seeing  Larry,  and  I  was  sure  that  the  secret 
had  not  been  imparted  to  him. 

"Is  Mr.  Grimsby  on  board?"  I  asked. 

"No,  sir.  He  is  sick  on  shore,"  replied  Os- 
borne.  "We  have  been  waiting  three  weeks  for 
him." 

"What  ails  him?" 

"Well,  I  don't  know  exactly  what  it  is ;  but  it's 
a  malignant  fever  —  contagious,  too." 

"When  did  you  see  him  last?" 

"I  haven't  seen  him  since  he  went  on  shore." 

"Is  he  very  sick?" 

"I  believe  he  is.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  sick 
ness  here.  Typhoid  fever,  I  think  it  is." 

"But  haven't  you  seen  him?"     asked  Larry. 

'  'No .  It ' s  bad  enough  to  stay  here  when  there ' s 
so  much  sickness,  without  going  to  see  anybody 
that  has  the  fever,"  said  Osborne. 

"Who  takes  care  of  him?" 

"I  don't  know.  He  sent  down  for  some  of  the 
hands  to  stay  with  him ;  but  none  of  them  would 
go." 

"At  what  hotel  is  he  staying?" 
22 


338  SEA   AND    SHORE,  OR 

Osborne  mentioned  one  of  the  hotels  where  he 
had  been  at  first,  but  believed  he  was  not  there 
now.  He  couldn't  ascertain  anything  about  him, 
and  didn't  know  but  he  was  dead.  We  were  as 
tonished  at  the  heartlessness  of  the  sailing-master, 
though,  from  what  we  knew  of  his  character,  we 
could  hardly  expect  anything  better  of  him.  Lar 
ry  and  I  went  on  shore  immediately,  and  visited 
the  hotel  named  by  Osborne.  Mr.  Miles  Grimsby 
had  been  there,  but,  being  sick  with  a  malignant 
disease,  had  been  removed  to  a  boarding-house. 
Procuring  the  services  of  a  commissionaire,  we 
found  the  place  with  much  difficulty.  It  was  a 
mean  house,  scantily  furnished,  and  the  patient 
had  been  conveyed  to  the  upper  story.  We  found 
that  he  was  very  sick  indeed,  and  was  not  expect 
ed  to  recover;  and  Larry  was  shocked,  and  in 
sisted  upon  going  directly  to  the  chamber  of  Miles. 

4 'That  won't  do,  Larry,"  I  interposed. 

"Why  not?  He  is  my  cousin;  and,  though  he 
has  been  my  enemy,  I  will  not  leave  him  to  die  in 
such  a  hole  as  this,"  he  replied,  indignantly. 

"But  you  forget;  Miles  supposes  you  are  dead. 
If  you  go  into  his  chamber,  the  shock  might  kill 
him." 


THE  Til  AMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      339 

"Perhaps  you  are  right.  But  we  must  get  him 
out  of  this  den." 

"I  will  see  him,  Larry." 

"I  do  not  ask  you  to  expose  yourself  to  the  dis 
ease,  Phil." 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  it." 

The  commissionaire  would  not  go  with  me,  so 
great  was  his  dread  of  the  malady,  and  an  old 
woman,  who  appeared  to  be  Miles 's  nurse,  con 
ducted  me  to  his  chamber.  The  room  contained 
only  a  bed  and  a  chair,  and  was  filthy  enough  to 
breed  a  pestilence  without  any  help  from  the 
sewers  and  the  malaria.  I  should  not  have  recog 
nized  Miles,  so  fearfully  was  he  altered;  and  he 
seemed  to  me  to  be  at  death's  door.  He  looked  at 
me,  and  started  as  he  identified  me. 

"Farringford!  "  gasped  he,  and  covered  his  face 
with  the  dirty  bed-clothes. 

4 'You  are  very  sick,  Miles,"  I  said,  in  the  gen 
tlest  tones. 

"You  have  come  to  curse  me,"  he  groaned. 

"No;  I  have  come  to  save  you." 

"Nothing  can  save  me  now.  I'm  going  to  die, 
and  everybody  has  deserted  me.  My  cousin  haunts 
me  day  and  night. ' '  And  he  groaned  in  his  misery. 


340  SEA   AND   SHORE,   OR 

"Be  calm,  Miles ,  and  we  will  try  to  do  some 
thing  for  you." 

"You  can't  do  anything  for  me,"  he  answered, 
throwing  down  the  bed-clothes  from  his  face.  "O, 
Farringford,  I  am  cursed  of  God  and  man!" 

"O,  no.     Be  calm." 

"I  can't  be  calm.  I  have  destroyed  my  cousin. 
I  thought  it  would  make  me  happy.  It  has  made 
me  miserable.  It  will  kill  me.  Can  I  be  for 
given  before  I  die?" 

"If  you  are  truly  penitent,  you  can." 

"But  Lawrence   is  dead,  and  I — " 

He  wept  like  a  little  child,  in  his  remorse  and 
agony. 

"He  is  not  dead,"  I  replied,  gently. 

"Not  dead?"    he  gasped,  starting  up  in  bed. 

"No,  not  dead.  He  is  alive  and  well,  and  at 
this  moment  trying  to  serve  you. ' ' 

"You  are  cheating  me,  Farringford,"  he  added, 
fixing  the  gaze  of  his  hollow  eyes  upon  me  with 
intense  earnestness. 

"I  am  not.     You  shall  see  him  to-day." 

"But  I  paid  McForclingham  rive  thousand  pounds 
for  what  he  told  me  he  had  done." 

"McFordmgham  believed   that  he  had  pushed 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.      341 

Larry  over   the  precipice;    but   the   rope  saved 
him,"  I  replied,  explaining  the  matter  very  briefly. 

*  'But  I  am  just  as  guilty  as  though  I  had  mur 
dered  him,"  he  continued,  musing,  with  a  Vaca^ 
expression. 

"I  think  you  are." 

4 'Will  he  forgive  me?  Will  he  let  me  die  ir 
peace?" 

"He  will  be  glad  to  forgive  you." 

"Let  me  see  him.  Let  me  beg  his  forgiveness 
on  my  knees." 

He  tried  to  get  out  of  the  bed,  but  the  old 
woman  restrained  him.  I  never  saw  a  man  in 
such  agony  of  mind.  Deserted  by  every  friend, 
and  left  to  die  in  this  comfortless  apartment,  how 
poor  and  mean  his  past  life  seemed  to  him?  How 
utterly  worthless  the  title  and  the  fortune  of  his 
grandfather  were,  compared  with  that  peace  of 
mind  which  now,  at  the  portal  of  the  tomb,  was 
lost  to  him!  Even  Miles  was  conquered,  and 
saw  at  last  that  earth  had  nothing  for  which  a  man 
could  safely  barter  his  eternal  hope. 

I  went  down  and  called  Larry,  who  followed 
me  up  to  the  chamber.  Miles  shrank  and  trem 
bled  as  he  entered.  My  friend  took  his  hand,  and 
spoke  gently  to  him. 


342  SEA   AND   SHOKE,  OR 

4  *  Can  you  forgive  me,  Lawrence  ?"  groaned  the 
sufferer. 

44 With  all  my  heart,"  replied  Larry,  pressing 
his  hand.  "It  makes  me  as  happy  as  it  does  you 
to  do  so.  May  God  forgive  you,  too;  and  he  will 
forgive  you  if  you  will  truly  repent. ' ' 

"I  have  cried  out  in  misery  and  remorse  for 
weeks  in  this  bed,"  whispered  Miles,  exhausted 
by  his  emotions.  "If  I  could  only  die  in  peace ! " 

Larry  said  all  he  could  to  comfort  him.  We 
read  the  Bible  and  prayed  with  him,  and  he  was 
calmer.  My  friend  had  sent  the  commissionaire  for 
a  celebrated  English  physician  who  resided  in 
the  city,  when  he  learned  that  no  proper  medical 
man  had  attended  him.  The  doctor  came,  but 
thought  the  patient's  case  was  almost  hopeless. 
His  only  chance  was  in  a  removal  from  the  pesti 
lential  locality  in  which  his  present  lodging  was 
situated.  It  was  but  a  short  distance  from  the 
Mole,  and  was  infected  by  the  sewers.  Larry 
paicl,  without  a  murmur,  the  exorbitant  demands 
of  the  people  in  the  house.  I  procured  one  of  the 
covered  hand-barrows  used  to  carry  the  sick  or 
wounded  to  the  hospitals,  and  attended  by  Dr. 
Bishop,  we  conveyed  Miles  on  board  the  Blanche. 
He  was  placed  in  the  broad  berth  of  Larry's  room. 


THE  TKAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       343 

"Now,  hoist  your  sails,  and  go  to  Messina," 
said  the  doctor,  after  he  had  prescribed  for  his 
patient. 

We  were  glad  enough  to  obey  this  order,  and  to 
escape  the  sewers  of  Naples,  which  are  the  bane 
of  the  city.  Osborne  was  ordered  to  sail  the 
Hermia  to  England. 

We  had  a  smooth  sea  and  a  light  breeze,  so  that 
the  voyage  was  not  uncomfortable  to  the  sick  man. 
Larry  nursed  his  cousin  day  and  night  with  the 
most  assiduous  care.  We  had  a  long  passage  to 
Messina;  but  on  our  arrival  the  health  officers 
drove  us  into  quarantine.  As  there  was  no  sick 
ness  there,  we  did  not  object.  Miles  had  already 
begun  to  improve  in  the  change  of  air  and  with 
the  careful  nursing  we  gave  him.  Bu  I  think  that 
his  peace  of  mind  did  quite  as  much  as  the  nursing 
and  the  change  to  save  him.  He  declared  that  he 
was  ready  to  die  now;  but  this  submission  only 
contributed  to  his  recovery.  In  a  week  he  was 
able  to  sit  up.  We  gave  him  the  nourishing  food 
and  cordials  which  the  doctor  had  prescribed,  with 
wonderful  effect.  In  another  week  he  went  on 
deck,  and  we  sailed  for  Constantinople-.  As  we 
moved  gently  along  among  the  fair  islands  of  the 


344  SEA    AND    SHORE  „    OE 

Archipelago,  he  lay  on  the  deck,  wrapped  up  in  his 
robes.  Larry  read  the  Bible  and  other  good  books 
to  him,  and  watched  over  him  with  a  woman's 
tenderness. 

As  I  sat  near  my  friend  one  day,  while  we  were 
going  through  the  Sea  of  Marmora,  listening  to  his 
reading,  Miles  suddenly  burst  into  tears.  I  was 
not  greatly  surprised  at  this  demonstration,  for  he 
had  often  exhibited  evidences  of  tenderness  since 
he  came  on  board  the  yacht  which  had  before 
seemed  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature.  He  had 
been  at  death's  door,  and  in  this  condition  was 
deserted  by  his  friends,  or,  rather,  by  his  depend 
ents.  He  had  given  himself  up  to  die  alone,  and 
in  the  midst  of  those  who  cared  only  to  get  his 
last  dollar  when  the  breath  had  left  his  bodjr.  To 
be  saved  from  such  a  fate  and  be  nursed  tenderly 
by  the  kindest  of  friends,  was  more  than  he  could 
bear.  It  overcame  him ;  it  broke  down  his  worldly 
pride. 

"What  are  you,  Lawrence?"  he  asked,  wiping 
the  tears  from  his  thin,  pale  face. 

44 Yours,  truly,"  replied  Larry,  lightly. 

"I  think  you  are  an  angel.  I  can't  help  saying 
so  when  I  think  of  the  past." 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       345 

"O,  nonsense!" 

"I  have  pursued  you  like  a  fiend;  I  have  paid 
thousands  of  pounds  to  destroy  you;  I  have  hated 
you  with  all  the  intensity  of  my  nature ;  and  yet 
you  are  willing  to  risk  your  life,  to  expose  your 
self  to  a  malignant  disease,  to  save  me.  Why 
have  you  done  so?" 

4 'I'll  tell  you,  Miles.  When  you  shut  me  up  in 
my  state-room  for  two  days  on  board  of  the 
White  wing,  I  found  the  Bible  in  my  room.  I 
suppose  you  did  not  know  it  was  there." 

"I  did  not  know  there  was  one  on  board  of 
the  yacht." 

"There  was  one  in  that  state-room,  and  I  read  it 
for  two  days.  If  there  had  been  no  Bible  there,  I 
might  have  shot  you  on  the  cliff  at  Cherrystone 
Hill ;  I  might  have  tumbled  you  over  the  precipice 
at  the  Voringfos  —  I  don't  know.  If  Christ  could 
forgive  those  who  crucified  him,  surely  we  ought 
to  try  to  forgive  those  who  seek  to  injure  us  in  this 
world.  I  don't  boast  of  myself.  I  only  try  to  do 
my  duty.  It  is  hard  work  sometimes,  and  we  can 
only  succeed  with  the  help  of  God." 

"I  am  trying  with  you  now,  Lawrence." 

"I  know  you  are;    and  we  will  cling  to  each 


346  SEA   AND   SHORE,    OR 

other,  while  we  cling  together  to  the  religion  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Sir  Philip  will  be  glad  to  see  us 
now. ' ' 

"May  he  be  long  spared  to  us!" 

"As  to  that  title,  Miles—" 

"It  is  yours;  and,  though  I  become  a  beggar, 
I  shall  now  be  more  rejoiced  to  see  you  have  it  than 
to  have  it  myself,"  said  Miles,  warmly,  and  sin 
cerely,  I  fully  believe,  for  he  had  already  begun 
to  "read  his  title  clear  to  mansions  in  the  skies," 
and  this  earthly  distinction  looked  vain  and  empty. 

"I  have  always  begged  Sir  Philip  to  treat  us 
both  alike.  I  am  sure  that  he  will  do  so  now," 
added  Larry. 

Miles  was  conquered,  overcome,  by  the  power  of 
love  and  faith.  Larry's  triumph  was  complete,  and 
he  had  attained  the  end  for  which  he  had  labored 
and  prayed.  We  arrived  at  Constantinople  that 
evening.  We  saw  all  its  strange  sights,  and  we 
explored  the  Bosphorus  and  the  Black  Sea.  We 
went  to  the  Holy  Land  next;  and,  in  the  midst 
of  the  scenes  where  Christ  had  lived  and  died,  our 
faith  was  rekindled  and  renewed.  Miles  was  by 
this  time  able  to  travel  on  shore,  and  his  impres 
sions  and  emotions  were  even  stronger  than 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       347 

Larry's.  He  was  a  changed  man,  and  far  more 
demonstrative  in  his  religious  observances  than  his 
cousin.  He  was  now  as  zealous  in  the  right  as  he 
had  been  before  in  the  wrong. 

In  November,  after  a  tour  up  the  Nile,  we  sailed 
for  Messina.  We  found  the  Gracewoods  there, 
and  I  had  no  longer  any  occasion  to  complain  of 
the  reserve  of  Ella.  The  delicious  climate  had 
already  produced  a  favorable  effect  upon  Mrs. 
Grace  wood's  health.  With  the  family  on  board 
the  Blanche,  we  made  an  excursion  to  Malta 
and  Palermo.  Indeed,  we  spent  the  winter  in 
cruising  about  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 
We  visited  all  the  Italian  and  Spanish  ports,  and 
in  April,  with  the  Gracewoods  on  board,  we 
sailed  from  Lisbon  for  Cowes.  On  our  arrival 
we  hastened  to  Grimsby  Hall,  where  Sir  Philip 
clasped  both  his  grandsons  in  one  embrace. 

Miles  had  sent  his  yacht  home,  and  directed 
his  agent  to  discharge  her  crew,  and  sell  her, 
for  he  was  utterly  disgusted  with  Osborne  and 
the  rest  of  his  people.  Larry  declared  that  one 
yacht  was  quite  enough  for  both  of  them. 

In  May,  with  the  Gracewoods  still  on  board,  we 
sailed  for  New  York,  where  we  arrived  after  a 


348  SEA  AND   SHORE,  OB 

rather  long  passage,  though  to  me  it  was  the 
pleasantest  I  ever  made,  for  Ella  was  on  board. 

Of  course  Larry  hastened  to  Blanche  Fennimore 
as  soon  as  the  anchor  touched  the  ground.  He 
had  been  absent  over  a  year,  and  I  doubt  not  the 
warmth  of  his  welcome  was  in  proportion  to  the 
length  of  his  absence.  Leaving  him  in  the  most 
exuberant  happiness,  I  went  to  St.  Louis  with  the 
Grace  woods.  I  need  not  attempt  to  tell  how  glad 
my  father  and  mother  were  to  see  me.  I  was  at 
home  again. 

My  father  was  still  true  to  himself,  and  he  was 
more  respected  than  he  had  been  in  his  former 
prosperity,  for  all  his  business  transactions  were 
gauged  by  religious  principle  now.  He  stood 
high  in  the  church  and  high  in  the  exchange,  for 
no  one  accused  him  of  hypocrisy.  My  grand 
father's  estate  had  been  settled,  and  my  mother's 
property,  which  she  unreservedly  confided  to  her 
husband's  keeping,  made  him  rich  again.  He  was 
now  the  owner  of  several  steamboats;  and  my  old 
friend,  Captain  Davis,  is  in  command  of  the 
Gracewood.  Our  home  is  as  happy  as  my  bright 
est  dream  ever  pictured  it. 

For   two  years  I  went  as  clerk  of  the  Grace- 


THE  TRAMPS  OF  A  TRAVELLER.       349 

wood,  and  often  revisited  the  scenes  of  my  early 
life  on  the  Upper  Missouri;  but  now  the  march 
of  civilization  is  stealing  over  it,  and  the  face 
of  the  country  is  entirely  changed.  A  large  vil 
lage  has  grown  up  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek 
where  the  wood-yard  was,  and  wheat-fields  wave 
where  the  "Castle"  stood. 

My  father  built  a  new  steamer,  which  he  called 
the  Ella,  and,  after  an  experience  of  two  years  as 
a  clerk,  the  command  of  her  was  given  to  me. 
But  I  was  soon  in  command  of  another  Ella,  or, 
rather,  she  was  in  command  of  me,  for  she  always 
had  her  own  way.  Our  bridal  tour  was  a  trip  to 
Europe,  a  month  of  which  we  spent  at  Grimsby 
Hall  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawrence  Grimsby.  Sir 
Philip  still  held  on  to  his  title,  which  Miles  no 
longer  coveted.  He  was  a  hale,  hearty  old  man, 
and  was  eighty-two  before  I  was  called  upon  to 
address  my  friend  as  Sir  Lawrence  Grimsby. 

I  found  that  Miles  was  as  busy  as  a  bee  all  the 
time,  as  the  patron  of  scores  of  religious  and 
charitable  movements.  He  was  an  earnest  and 
sincere  Christian,  and  had  no  occupation  but  to  do 
good  to  the  poor,  the  ignorant,  and  the  vicious. 

After  a  six  months'  tour  in  Europe  we  returned 


350  SEA   AND    SHOKE,  OR 

to  America,  and  settled  down  in  St.  Louis.  Our 
firm  is  FARRINGFORD  &  SON,  for  my  father  was  no 
more  disposed  to  retire  from  business  than  I  was. 
My  wife  never  makes  any  ill-natured  allusions  to 
mothers-in-law,  though  both  members  of  the  firm 
live  under  one  roof.  My  father  and  mother  are 
quite  as  happy  as  Ella  and  myself,  and  their 
greatest  pride  and  joy  are  in  their  grandchildren. 
It  is  years  since  I  have  seen  Sir  Lawrence,  for 
the  little  ones  have  kept  both  of  us  at  home.  He 
does  not  keep  a  yacht.  He  sold  the  Blanche 
when  he  was  married,  and  went  with  his  bride  to 
reside  at  Grimsby  Hall.  But  my  friend  writes  to 
me  occasionally,  and  always  has  a  great  deal  to 
say  about  Miles.  He  counts  it  as  one  of  the 
happiest  events  of  our  ONWARD  AND  UPWARD  life 
that  his  cousin  was  "born  again,"  as  the  chief 
incident  of  that  eventful  year  on  SEA  AND  SHOBE. 


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